a  h!iMiI<  1  <!  ii>;;'       ,     ;ta— ■— —MM 

lilliiiM^ 


iijiliiiil 


, u\m 


iPiiliippiiiiiiiiiH 

1! hi  )!  ill  ;;:   ■' 


pUlUi:. 

mm 


jii!:-'ji"i^'i- •!'!•??!•?••• 


tihvavy  of  trhe  trheolo^ical  ^tminavy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 
PRESENTED  BY 

Rufus  H,   LeFevre 


MAY  21  19b2 


A 


ff. 


.V 


^si  OAL  at 


SHAKERISM 


OR 


The  Romance  of  a  Religion 


BY 


J.  M.  PHILLIPPI 

Editor 
The  Religious  Telescope 


^^ 


DAYTON.  OHIO 
THE  OTTERBEIN  PRESS 
1912 


UNITED  BRETHREN   PUBLISHING  HOUSE. 

W.   R.   FUNK,   AGENT. 

1912. 


FOREWORD 

WHEN  about  eight  years  of  age  I  first 
heard  of  the  Shakers.  In  the  village 
of  Midway,  Fulton  County,  Illinois, 
the  IMethodist  Church  was  divided  into  north 
and  south  branches  because  of  the  prominence 
of  the  slavery  question.  This  resulted  in  two 
church  buildings.  Preachers  for  the  southern 
Methodist  Church  frequently  came  from  the 
South.  One  of  these,  whose  name  is  not  re- 
called, tall  and  slender,  wearing  a  full  beard, 
came  from  Georgia  to  make  an  address  at  his 
church.  He  tarried  one  Sunday  night  in  the 
home  of  the  writer,  a  mile  and  a  half  distant. 
In  a  way  now  forgotten,  the  subject  of  the 
Shakers  was  introduced.  I  well  remember  the 
account  he  gave  of  this  unique  religious  sect, 
and  the  description  of  its  services,  particu- 
larly the  religious  customs  and  the  dance. 

From  that  day  until  becoming  acquainted 
with  ^Ir.  Granville  Hixson,  foreman  of  the 
linotype  department  of  the  United  Brethren 
Publishing  House,  Dayton,  Ohio,  I  never 
heard  the  name  ''Shakers"  mentioned.  Al- 
though a  society  existed  within  six  miles  of 
Dayton  during  my  Seminary  course,  and  the 
one  at  Union  Village  was  conducting  its  af- 
fairs in  its  own  peculiar  way  twenty-five 
miles  distant  from  Dayton,  no  mention  ever 
was  made  of  either  of  these  societies  in  my 
hearing.  Nor  was  I  aware  that  either  of 
them   was   living   in   its   own   quiet   and   un- 


ostentatious  way  within  a  few  hours'  walk 
of  the  city. 

Since  the  agreement  was  reached  for  the 
United  Brethren  Church  to  take  over  the 
Shaker  farms  and  buildings  at  Union  Village, 
in  Warren  County,  Ohio,  to  be  devoted  to  an 
Orphanage  and  Home  for  the  United  Brethren 
Church,  it  seemed  fitting  that  a  brief  history 
of  the  rise,  the  progress,  and  the  decadence  of 
the  Shaker  faith  and  life  was  owed  to  the 
readers  of  the  Religious  Telescope.  Conse- 
quently, this  book  is  prepared,  dealing  chiefly 
with  the  society  at  Union  Village,  as  that  is 
the  one  with  which  the  United  Brethren 
Church  is  concerned. 

Shaker  literature  is  quite  abundant,  to  which 
I  have  had  access.  I  have  made  constant 
reference  to  J.  P.  MacLean's  work,  entitled, 
"Shakers  of  Ohio."  This  book,  though  frag- 
mentary, contains  many  valuable  facts  not 
hitherto  placed  in  print,  and  from  which  I 
have  drawn  liberally  for  the  volume  now  in 
the  hands  of  the  reader. 

If,  in  any  way,  this  volume  is  of  beneficial 
interest  to  any  one,  or  if  it  shall  lead  to  the 
greater  circulation  of  the  Religious  Telescope, 
with  which  it  is  written  to  go  as  a  premium,  or 
if  it  shall  result  in  contributions  toward  the 
payment  for  the  splendid  property  now  being 
acquired  by  the  Church  for  the  purest  philan- 
thropy under  heaven,  the  hope  of  the  present 
writer  will  be  realized.  In  this  hope  the 
book  is  sent  forth. — J.  M.  P. 


CONTENTS 

I.  Shaker  Theology  and  Worship  -  7 

II.  Shaker  Growth  and  Expansion  -  29 

III.  Shaker  Life  and  Customs    -  -  57 

IV.  Shaker  Persecution      -        -  -  71 

V.  Shaker  Covenant         -        -  -  87 

VI.  Shaker  Decadence       -        -  -  115 

VII.  Shaker  Successors       _        _  -  129 


Shaker  Theology  and  Worship 

THE  term  Shakers,  like  Christians  and 
Methodists,  was  given  first  in  de- 
rision. The  epithet  was  appHed 
originally  because  of  a  peculiar  jerking  of  the 
head,  or  arms,  or  body  under  some  particular 
religious  incitement.  This  name  has  outgrown 
its  derisive  meaning  and  is  accepted  by 
the  Shakers  of  the  present  day  as  a  term  of 
respect.  Indeed,  they  love  to  be  called  Shakers. 
Comparatively  few  of  those  outside  its  com- 
munion know  the  real  title  of  the  church — 
"The  United  Society  of  Believers  in  Christ's 
Second  Appearing."  This  stamps  the  church 
at  once  as  on  the  millennial  order.  The  Shaker 
views  in  regard  to  the  second  coming  of  Christ 
were  a  development  of  several  years.  The 
Shakers  seem  to  have  originated  from  the 
Quakers  in  England.  A  few  of  the  members 
who  had  been  given  to  shaking  in   religious 


8  Shakerism 

service  had  been  gathered  together  by  James 
and  Jane  Wardleigh  about  1747.  At  this 
time  there  were  no  strange  ideas  about 
Christ's  second  appearing. 

On  February  29,  1736,  Ann  Lee  was  born 
in  Manchester,  England.  She  came  under  the 
influence  of  the  Shaking  Quakers,  as  this 
branch  was  called,  particularly  of  the  Ward- 
leighs,  and  became  an  enthusiastic  disciple. 
She  married  Abraham  Stanley,  or  Standerlin. 
He  was  a  blacksmith,  she  a  cook,  and  neither 
one  was  able  to  write.  Soon  she  began  to 
claim  to  have  visions  from  heaven.  So  far  as 
theology  is  concerned,  these  visions  centered 
about  two  ideas,  both  of  which  became  clearer 
in  her  mind  with  the  passing  of  years  and  with 
the  aid  of  more  revelations. 

The  first  so-called  spiritual  truth  implanted 
in  Ann  Lee's  mind  was  that  she  was  the  second 
incarnation  of  Christ.  As  Christ  had  come 
first  in  the  person  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  so 
he  came  the  second  time  in  herself,  Ann  Lee, 
of  Manchester.  In  harmony  with  such  claims 
was  the  rather  cumbersome  name  chosen.    In 


Shakerism  9 

this  belief  Ann  Lee's  disciples  have  regarded 
her  word  as  authority,  and  her  instructions 
have  received  implicit  obedience.  In  this 
faith  they  have  ascribed  a  duality  of  sex  to  the 
Deity,  regarding  God  both  as  male  and  female, 
inasmuch  as  he  appeared  in  a  chosen  one  of 
each  sex.  There  is  difference  of  opinion,  even 
among  Shakers,  as  to  actual  worship  of 
Mother  Ann,  as  Ann  Lee  is  called  in  loving 
endearment.  With  this  doctrine  fully  devel- 
oped, it  would  be  impossible  not  to  ascribe 
practically  the  same  power  to  Ann  Lee  as  to 
Jesus,  which  would  carry  with  it  a  form  of 
worship.  The  Shaker  literature  speaks  in 
loving  terms  of  Ann  Lee,  very  often  using  the 
designation  "Mother,"  whose  authority  is  not 
questioned  on  any  subject. 

This  view  of  duality  is  observed  in  the  spir- 
itual matters  of  the  church  of  the  present 
time.  The  religious  welfare  of  any  Shaker, 
community  is  guarded  and  directed  by  four 
elders,  two  of  them  men,  the  other  two 
women.  This  joint  government  by  the  sexes 
descends  from  the  chief  ministry  to  the  branch 


10  Shakerism 

communities,  then  into  the  families  of  the 
branch  communities,  and  so  on  down  to  the 
smallest  bodies  and  the  minute  details. 

A  second  revelation,  which  is  rather  a  com- 
bination of  theology  and  life,  affects  the  mar- 
riage relation.  About  1770,  Ann  Lee  claimed 
to  have  been  told  in  a  vision  that  the  highest 
spiritual  attainment  on  earth  can  be  acquired 
only  through  the  complete  separation  of  the 
sexes,  and  strict  continence  in  life.  Although 
^  this  was  preached  in  England,  it  was  not  pro- 
claimed as  a  law  until  she,  with  some  of  her 
closest  friends,  came  to  America  in  1774.  The 
Shakers  had  been  persecuted  quite  bitterly  in 
England  and  sought  America  as  a  land  of 
refuge.  Before  the  writer  is  a  leather-bound 
volume  of  nearly  six  hundred  pages,  entitled, 
"Christ's  Second  Appearing."  Outside  of  its 
peculiar  doctrinal  area,  this  book  is  not  very 
interesting  or  beneficial  to  the  reader.  Along 
with  discourses  on  theology,  it  gives  an  ac- 
count of  the  journey  across  the  ocean,  which 
is  calculated  to  give  the  reader  the  highest 
regard  for  Ann  Lee. 


Shakerism  11 

The  first  settlement  was  made  at  Watervliet, 
New  York,  in  Albany  County.  At  this  place 
Ann  Lee  died  September  8,  1784.  Shortly 
afterward  another  settlement  was  made  at 
New  Lebanon,  New  York,  in  Columbia 
County,  about  twenty-five  miles  southeast  of 
Watervliet.  About  six  miles  east  of  New 
Lebanon,  across  into  Massachusetts,  lives 
Elder  Joseph  Holden,  who  to-day  is  at  the 
head  of  the  Shaker  ministry. 

As  Ann  Lee's  revelation  required  the  separa- 
tion of  the  sexes,  a  new  mode  of  life  was 
established,  whose  continuance  must  depend 
upon  proselytes  from  the  world.  But  one  may 
judge  that  there  was  some  opposition  to  the 
disruption  of  domestic  ties.  Hence,  later,  we 
find  the  Shakers  divided  into  two  orders; 
namely,  the  Adamic  and  the  Spiritual.  The 
members  of  the  Adamic  order  were  allowed 
to  live  in  families,  and  the  husband  and  wife, 
permitted  to  enjoy  sexual  congress,  but  only 
for  the  production  of  offspring.  The  Spir- 
itual order  was  supposed  to  have  progressed 
so  far  as  to  be  like  the  saved  in  heaven,  where 


12  Shakerism 

there  is  no  marrying  or  giving  in  marriage, 
and  where  there  are  no  functions  of  domestic 
life  as  commonly  esteemed. 

When  a  man  and  his  wife  joined  the 
Shakers  they  were  compelled  to  separate,  and 
henceforth  be  but  brother  and  sister.  One 
doctrine  is  that  the  same  love  and  affection 
must  be  shown  to  every  person  in  the  Shaker 
community  without  discrimination  or  par- 
tiality. It  is  argued  that  the  relation  of  hus- 
band and  wife,  or  that  of  parent  to  child, 
establishes  especially  strong  ties  of  human 
affection  which  cannot  be  equaled  by  the  re- 
gard which  one  has  for  other  members  in 
the  community. 

The  same  communism  which  is  supposed  to 
exist  in  spiritual  matters  is  enforced  in  tem- 
poral things.  When  a  man  joined  the  Shakers, 
all  his  property  was  turned  into  the  common 
treasury,  and  it  remained  there  always,  whether 
or  not  he  himself  remained  in  the  faith.  No 
Shaker  has  had  anything  in  his  own  right,  and 
that  plan  has  seemed  to  satisfy  the  great  ma- 
jority.    There  are  some  at  the  present  day, 


Shakerism  13 

however,  who  question  whether  Shakerism  is 
based  on  correct  principles,  and  others  who 
are  open  and  frank  in  avowing  their  disbehef 
in  this  kind  of  communism,  both  as  to  the  in- 
dividual life  and  the  acquiring  and  holding 
of  personal  property. 

The  divine  appointment  of  elders  has  been 
a  leading  doctrine  throughout  the  life  of  this 
sect.  The  Shakers  claim  their  body  was 
organized  by  Infinite  Wisdom,  and  that  their 
spiritual  government  originated  from  divine 
appointment.  They  call  attention  to  the  fact 
that  God  appointed  Moses,  and  established 
him  as  leader  of  the  tribe  of  Israel ;  also,  that 
by  divine  revelation  Moses  appointed  Joshua 
to  succeed  him.  Then  they  take  the  example 
of  Jesus  Christ  in  selecting  his  twelve  apostles, 
ordaining  them  for  the  work,  and  the  appoint- 
ment of  their  successors  by  the  apostles  them- 
selves, as  they  ''ordained  elders  in  every, 
church."  So  the  Shakers  reason  about  as  fol- 
lows :  That  God  organized  this  body  of  be- 
lievers and  appointed  Ann  Lee  as  its  head. 
Having  seen  fit  to  give  her  this  position,  he 


14  Shakerism 

would  endow  her  with  all  necessary  wisdom  to 
appoint  her  successors.  At  this  stage  God 
surely  would  not  withdraw  his  counsel,  and 
of  course  would  give  these  successors  divine 
inspiration  and  direction  in  the  selection  of 
their  successors,  and  so  on  down  to  the  pres- 
ent time.  "The  written  covenant,"  says  a 
preserved  letter  of  the  leaders  more  than  a 
century  ago,  "however,  is  but  a  transcript  of 
the  internal  principles  and  law  of  Christ  which 
govern  and  protect  this  society."  This  quota- 
tion suggests  how  directly  dependent  the 
Shakers  thought  themselves  to  be  on  God, 
which  carries  with  it  the  necessity  for  per- 
sonal revelations  and  visions. 

The  Shakers  believe  that  their  form  of  gov- 
ernment approached  a  spiritual  and  temporal 
theocracy;  certainly,  it  paved  the  way  for  a 
type  of  spiritualism.  This  consisted  chiefly  in 
visions.  Great  credence  was  placed  in  these 
revelations,  many  of  which  affected  the  gov- 
ernment and  practical  life  of  Shaker  communi- 
ties. These  were  transcribed,  and  some  of 
them  posted  up  as  an  infallible  guide  to  con- 


Shakerism  15 

duct.     These  might  not  have  been  discredited 
if  they  had  not  run  into  fanaticism,  and  revela- 
tions made  to  different  parties  which  contained 
contradictory    instructions.       This,    however, 
was  but  a  continuation  of  the  gifts  said  to  have 
been  possessed  by  Mother  Ann.     In  fact,  she 
is  given  credit  for  causing  the  revelations,  as 
many  believe  that  she  continued  among  her 
followers  even  after  her  final  and  unexpected 
departure  for  heaven.    Some  thought,  too,  that 
the  Spirit  which  was  in  Jesus  made  special 
visits  and  bestowed  faith,  charity,  and  wisdom. 
These   revelations  began   in   the   society   at 
Watervliet,    New   York,   about   1837-38,    and 
moved  westward  rapidly  to  other  Shaker  com- 
munities.     Oliver    C.    Hampton,    a    shrewd- 
looking  man  with  clear-cut   features,   a  pro- 
nounced spiritualist,   who  died  in   1901,   says 
that  in  the  spring  of  1839,  "the  work  thus  far 
having    been    kept    within    the    limits    of    a 
prudence  and  a  godly  discretion,  by  the  untir- 
ing efforts  of  the  good  ministry  and  elders, 
now  for  a  time  took  on  a  phase,  and  was  as  it 
were  pushed  to  an  extereme  in  several  direc- 


16  Shakerism 

tions,  which  could  not  have  been  in  unison 
with  the  spirit  of  our  blessed  Mother;  but 
which  the  leaders  from  some  cause  seemed  un- 
able or  unwilling  to  interfere  with,  and  em- 
barrassing the  mediums;  who  also  seemed 
conscientious  to  convey  nothing  that  did  not 
come  from  good  and  progressed  spirits.  But, 
as  I  am  no  pessimist,  and  have  not  one  atom 
of  faith  in  sending  the  chronicles  of  ignorance, 
or  superstition,  or  failure  down  to  future 
generations,  and,  as  recently  these  indiscretions 
were  all  finally  corrected,  condoned,  reconciled 
among  all  parties,  I  now  shall  draw  the 
veil  of  oblivion  over  them,  and  let  them  rest 
in  eternal  sleep." 

The  Shakers  had  a  few  meetings  with  spir- 
itualists, but  beyond  that  there  appears  to  have 
been  nothing  in  common  between  them.  They 
did  not  use  the  term  "medium,"  and  there 
were  no  table  tippings,  no  rappings,  or  any  of 
the  so-called  phenomena  of  modern  spiritual- 
ism. The  gifts  consisted  of  visions,  music, 
angelic  songs,  and  such  revelations  as  should 
be  promulgated  for  the  benefit  of  the  people, 


Shakerism  17 

something  like  the  prophets  of  old  received 
messages  from  heaven.  Miss  Susannah  Cole 
Liddell,  in  her  eighty-ninth  year,  now  the  old- 
est Shaker  at  Union  Village,  Ohio,  and  through 
whose  presence  there  is  due  the  starting  of 
negotiations  for  the  purchase  of  the  settlement 
by  the  United  Brethren  Church,  a  most  intelli- 
gent and  estimable  woman,  one  of  the  school- 
teachers of  the  society  in  its  flourishing  period, 
is  said  to  have  possessed  the  power  of  separa- 
tion of  spirit  and  body,  at  which  season  she 
took  long  journeys  and  performed  valuable 
services  for  the  other  members.  For  about  ten 
years  the  Shakers  gave  more  attention  to  this 
phase  of  spiritualism  than  to  any  other  one 
thing  pertaining  to  spiritual  or  earthly  welfare. 
A  quotation  from  MacLean's  history,  re- 
garding one  of  the  messages  a  Shaker  was  to 
deliver,  will  be  of  general  interest,  the  reader 
remembering  that  Dayton  is  a  county  seat 
twenty-five  miles  north  of  Union  Village,  and 
that  Lebanon  is  another  county  seat  five  miles 
east  of  the  settlement. 


18  Shakerism 

*'The  great  difference  accorded  to  the 
Shakers  by  the  denizens  of  Lebanon  and  those 
of  Dayton  was  a  matter  of  remark  among  be- 
Hevers.  About  the  year  1820  a  Shaker 
brother  of  Union  Village  had  a  vision,  in 
which  it  was  revealed  that  the  Shakers  should 
place  a  curse  upon  Lebanon  and  a  blessing 
upon  Dayton.  In  their  early  history  Shakers 
were  ever  obedient  to  heavenly  commands. 
David  Darrow  felt  that  the  command  must  be 
obeyed.  The  first  messenger  selected  was 
Francis  Bedle,  who  demurred  and  even  refused 
to  perform  the  mission.  Finally,  he  gave  his 
consent  provided  Richard  McNemar  should  be 
his  attendant.  McNemar  disapproved  of  the 
whole  scheme  and  thought  it  should  be  passed 
over ;  but,  being  obedient  to  higher  powers,  he 
consented  reluctantly.  Together  the  two 
brethren  rode  on  horseback  through  the  prin- 
cipal street  of  Lebanon,  waved  their  hats,  and 
pronounced  woe  upon  all  persecutors.  The 
same  day  they  appeared  on  one  of  the  streets 
of  Dayton,  riding  rapidly,  waving  their  hats, 
and  pronouncing  the  blessings  of  God  upon  the 


Shakerism  19 

town  and  all  its  inhabitants.  News  of  the 
action  of  the  Shaker  missionaries  in  Dayton 
spread  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind,  over  the 
banks  and  hills  of  the  Miami  and  Alad  rivers. 
The  farmers  regarded  the  Shakers  as  pos- 
sessed of  deep  religious  foresight.  Dayton 
had  made  but  slow  progress.  There  were 
farmers  who  now  believed  the  town,  having 
been  blessed  by  holy  men  of  God,  would  be- 
come prosperous.  Some  rented  and  others 
sold  their  farms  and  moved  to  the  town,  giv- 
ing it  an  impetus  which  has  ever  so  continued. 
Of  Lebanon  and  its  enterprises,  on  the  other 
hand,  its  local  historian,  in  his  'Centennial 
Sketch,'  has  been  forced  to  proclaim  that  its 
population  has  remained  stationary  for  four 
decades." 

Shaker  worship  has  some  peculiarities.  The 
division  of  the  sexes  was  maintained  in  the 
church  with  strictness.  The  churches  usually 
are  oblong,  the  men  sitting  at  one  end,  the 
women  at  the  other.  The  minister  conducting 
the  service  would  stand  at  one  side  of  the 
building,  but  about  midway  from  end  to  end. 


20  Shakerism 

Time  was  not  considered  in  the  worship,  and 
any  one  who  had  a  message  or  an  exhortation 
was  at  Hberty  to  dehver  it.  The  church  at 
Union  Village,  built  in  1818,  still  stands,  a 
marvel  of  workmanship.  The  place  for  wor- 
ship was  on  the  first  floor.  The  second  floor 
has  rooms,  some  of  which  were  occupied  by 
the  elders,  others  by  the  eldresses.  A  double 
stairway  leads  to  this  second  floor,  some  lat- 
tice work  in  the  wall  of  the  closed  stairway 
permitting  the  spiritual  overseers  to  peep 
through  in  order  to  observe  the  conduct  below. 
''Jehovah's  Chosen  Square"  was  the  desig- 
nation of  a  spot  of  ground,  a  half  acre  in 
area,  less  than  a  mile  northeast  of  the  present 
church  building.  Here  the  people  would 
gather  in  the  summer  season  to  enjoy  the 
special  outpouring  of  the  Spirit.  They  would 
preach  and  sing  and  dance  and  receive  revela- 
tions, and  justify  the  common  name  of 
Shakers.  At  the  close  of  a  meeting  at  this 
place,  which  usually  lasted  about  five  hours, 
the  participants  would  march  to  their  respec- 
tive homes. 


Shakerism  21 

Another  special  meeting  was  called  "the 
Yearly  Sacrifice."  At  this  time  all  the  people 
would  confess  their  sins,  the  men  to  men  and 
the  women  to  women,  and  adjust  all  things 
that  had  not  been  right  among  themselves. 
These  are  said  to  have  been  seasons  of  great 
spiritual  rejoicing,  and  that  words  unfitly 
spoken,  and  that  deeds  known  and  unknown, 
but  of  a  wrong  character,  were  confessed, 
forgiveness  asked,  and  all  spiritual  life 
brought  down  to  date  without  sin  or  iniquity, 
open  or  concealed. 

A  novel  feature  of  Shaker  worship  was  the 
dance.  This  was  regarded  as  sacred,  and  as 
the  first  mode  of  divine  worship.  Its  per- 
petuation was  considered  most  acceptable  to 
God  and  productive  of  blessings  upon  his 
people.  Curiosity  prompted  many  to  attend 
these  dances,  and  the  conduct  of  observers 
sometimes  was  below  the  standard.  MacLean 
says  in  his  history  that  these  public  meetings 
were  given  up  because  of  the  conduct  of  stu- 
dents from  the  Lebanon  University.  One  of 
these  students,  but  who  claims  to  have  been 


22  Shakerism 

guilty  of  no  misdemeanor,  Mr.  J.  M.  Griffith, 
a  personal  friend,  furnishes  by  request  the 
following  account  of  the  Shaker  service: 

''It  was  my  privilege  frequently  during  the 
summers  of  1871  and  1872  to  visit  the  Shakers 
of  Union  Village.  We  always  tried  to  visit  on 
the  days  when  they  performed  their  dance, 
as  we  called  it,  in  connection  with  their  Sab- 
bath worship.  On  a  Sunday  morning,  about 
nine-thirty,  they"  would  begin  to  assemble  at 
the  church.  The  women  and  girls,  clad  hi 
their  usual  costumes,  wearing  the  straight 
straw  bonnet,  would  arrive  in  two-horse 
wagons,  driven  by  one  of  the  brethren,  would 
alight  and  enter  the  chapel  at  their  end  of 
the  building.  The  men  in  their  broad- 
brimmed  hats  and  sleeveless  coats  would 
come  in  wagons  and  enter  the  door  near  their 
end  of  the  house.  The  meeting-house  was 
about  twice  as  long  as  wide ;  so,  when  divided 
in  two  parts,  it  would  make  two  rooms  about 
square.  The  elders,  or  preachers  we  would 
call  them,  would  have  chairs  at  one  side  be- 
tween the  women  and  men.     At  ten  o'clock 


Shakerism  23 

the  services  would  begin.  The  elders  would 
talk  or  exhort  quite  at  length,  several  taking 
turns  in  speaking  for  about  an  hour  and  a 
half,  when  they  would  arise  and  give  the 
notice  that  their  exercises  would  change.  The 
women  and  girls  would  proceed  to  carry  the 
benches  in  their  end  of  the  room  and  stack 
them  up  so  as  to  give  as  much  floor  space  as 
possible.  The  men  would  do  the  same,  leav- 
ing the  room  with  a  good  clear  space.  The 
singers  were  then  asked  to  take  their  places. 
There  were  from  twelve  to  twenty  of  them, 
about  all  young  men.  The  women  and  men 
would  form  for  the  march,  two  and  two,  each 
party  having  its  own  end  of  the  room;  but, 
if  the  ring  encircling  the  singers  would  be  too 
crowded  in  twos,  they  would  put  three  in  line, 
or  more  if  necessary.  The  older  women  came 
first,  and  on  down  to  the  little  girls  seven  or 
eight  years  old.  The  men  were  formed  in 
like  manner,  the  older  ones  first,  down  to  the 
little  boys.  Thus  was  formed  a  circle,  half 
men  and  half  women.  At  a  given  signal  the 
singers  would  begin  to  sing,  keeping  time  by 


24  Shakerism 

swinging  both  arms  and  rising  on  their  toes. 
Then  the  procession  would  begin  to  move 
around  and  around,  the  singers  keeping  time 
with  their  hands  and  step  with  the  music. 
You  may  imagine  how  the  Httle  ones  would 
need  to  stretch  and  the  taller  ones  to  hold  in 
for  all  to  keep  step  together  as  they  marched, 
especially  as  they  made  the  turn  at  either  end 
of  the  oblong  circle.  Yet  it  all  was  done 
decorously  and  with  as  much  religious 
solemnity  as  any  other  part  of  the  worship. 
They  v/ere  courteous  to  all  well-behaved  vis- 
itors, and  were  free  to  answer  questions  and 
give  any  information  sought." 

At  the  present  time  the  Shakers  wear  little 
distinctive  garb,  either  men  or  women.  How- 
ever, the  close-fitting  bonnet  generally  is  pre- 
served, and  some  of  the  older  ones  retain 
the  shoulder  shawl,  while  a  few  of  the  women 
still  older  yet  wear  the  customary  dress  of 
fifty  years  ago. 

Time  has  worked  changes  in  customs  as 
well  as  in  theological  views  and  in  ideas  per- 
taining  to  property.     For   instance,   back   in 


Shakerism  25 

the  sixties  the  question  of  insuring  buildings 
arose,  and  on  January  1,  1881,  it  was  decided 
first  at  Union  Village  that  some  of  the  build- 
ings should  be  insured.  These  newer  steps 
do  not  indicate  any  lesser  trust  in  God,  but 
they  reveal  a  willingness  to  use  the  means  at 
hand  for  protection  against  loss.  Time  obliter- 
ates all  mere  human  distinctions  and  brings 
all  followers  of  the  Christ  into  a  harmony 
of  view  touching  both  religious  faith  and 
business  affairs. 


o 

O 

a 


a, 
o 

a 


o 

o 

c 


o 


O 

O 

c 
o 

Q 

t-l 
a 
<u 

c 

oT 
bo 

^  c 

O      -M 

-^    rt 
(U    <u 

(1)       .!-> 

bfl   o 

g3     O 

I— I  .N 

ti 

'  a 

:  o 

2^ »« 


bfl 


o* 
^ 


d 

4> 
li 

d 

t3 


o^ 


o 
(A 

en 

ID 
> 
O 

x: 


ON 


O 


^   E 


bo 

c 

-I 
u    3 


On 


.2 

O 

c 
o 

Q 


'o     . 
Q  .2 

o 

c 
o 
■*-> 


(U 

C 

oT 
be 


> 

c 

.2 
'c 


6 
o 

X 

d 
o  ^ 

CA    d 

(D  .d 

re  d 
o  u 
^  J3 
^  V 
en  »H 
PQ 

^     d 

u 
H 


jO 


a 
o 


3 

d 
3 

•S 

0)     g 


u 

< 


2 


a 
> 


§ 


Shaker  Growth  and  Expansion 

WITH  the  spread  of  the  Shaker  beHef 
and  the  establishment  of  communi- 
ties in  New  York,  Massachusetts, 
New  Hampshire,  Connecticut,  and  Kentucky, 
this  book  cannot  deal.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
the  organization  of  the  community  at  New 
Lebanon,  New  York,  was  the  most  important 
of  all,  for  it  ever  since  has  been  the  seat  of 
the  central  ministry.  Here  the  elders  have 
maintained  their  residence,  and  from  this 
place  have  exercised  an  oversight  of  all  things 
spiritual.  These  elders,  in  addition  to  ap- 
pointing their  own  successors,  usually  have 
selected  elders  for  the  newer  societies 
throughout  the  Western  States,  all  of  such, 
however,  being  ratified  by  the  local  communi- 
ties over  which  they  were  to  serve.  The  one 
first  in  the  eldership  holds  a  position  some-, 
thing  like  that  of  a  bishop  with  all  his  episco- 
pal functions.     The  second  man  is  supposed 

29 


30  Shakerism 

to  work  in  harmony  with  his  superior.  The 
first  eldress  occupies  "  a  corresponding  posi- 
tion with  regard  to  the  women,  though  the 
general  power  is  much  more  limited.  The 
second  eldress  is  associated  with  her  in  all 
things,  but  having  the  second  place  of  power 
and   influence. 

To  know  the  strange  history  of  Union  Vil- 
lage, one  must  go  back  to  the  year  1799,  if, 
indeed,  he  can  afford  to  stop  short  of  John 
Calvin  and  his  times.  Then  Cincinnati  had 
less  than  five  hundred  people,  and  Kentucky 
supported  more  souls  than  did  Ohio.  Pres- 
byterianism  of  the  strictest  predestination 
sort  had  taken  a  strong  hold  in  Kentucky,  and 
the  Kentucky  Synod  had  been  organized.  On 
the  Gasper  River,  in  Logan  County,  a  power- 
ful revival  meeting  began  in  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  conducted  by  John  Rankin. 
Thousands  upon  thousands  of  souls  were  con- 
verted amid  the  wildest  demonstrations  that 
have  occurred  in  religious  life  on  the  Ameri- 
can continent.  Out  of  this  revival  three 
churches  were  planted  in  Kentucky  and  Ohio. 


Shakerism  31 

As  revivals  and  predestination  to  heaven  or 
hell  do  not  fit  together  harmoniously,  many 
preachers  and  laymen  began  to  rebel  at  the 
rank  Calvinism  which  had  been  preached. 
This  so-called  heresy  permeated  Cumberland 
Presbytery,  of  the  Kentucky  Synod,  and  it 
finally  withdrew,  or  was  helped  to  withdraw, 
and  formed  a  church  which  now  is  known  as 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterian.  Beyond  this, 
however,  the  Cumberland  Presbyterians  are 
not  connected  with  the  Shakers  or  with  their 
Union  Village   settlement. 

The  new  converts  in  Kentucky  professed 
to  receive  revelations  from  heaven.  They 
had  visions,  saw  angels,  and  claimed  to  dis- 
cern a  new  light  from  above.  This  assertion 
was  made  so  frequently  that  the  term  "new 
light"  was  applied  to  them.  This  was  an 
epithet  of  reproach,  and  never  has  been  re- 
garded an  honor.  Although  some  develop- 
ments in  the  East  were  looking  in  the  same 
direction,  this  Kentucky  revival  was  the 
foundation  in  the  western  part  of  the  country 
of   what   commonly   is   known   as   the   "New 


S2  Shakerism 

Light"  Christian  Church,  subsequently  named 
the  ''Christian  Convention." 

More  and  more  trouble  arose  between  the 
revivalists  and  the  Calvinistic  Presbyterians. 
Some  of  the  former  began  to  withdraw,  and 
some  of  the  latter  helped  them  out.  They 
were  termed  ''schismatics"  by  the  orthodox 
Calvinists,  and  as  such  withdrew  unto  them- 
selves to  hold  meetings  and  to  enjoy  the 
special  manifestations.  For  a  time  it  looked 
like  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Kentucky 
would  be  destroyed.  Indeed,  it  never  has  re- 
covered from  the  shock  it  received  from  the 
"great  Kentucky  revival."  The  recognized 
leader  of  the  schismatics  was  Barton  W. 
Stone,  who  with  his  colaborers  went  every- 
were  preaching  this  new  faith.  The  Ohio 
River  was  crossed,  and  the  half-dozen  Pres- 
byterian churches  established  in  Ohio  were 
visited  and  converts  readily  made.  One  of 
these  churches  went  by  the  name  of  Turtle 
Creek.  This  stood  at  the  present  site  of  Union 
Village.  The  Presbyterian  pastor  was  named 
McNemar,    who,   though    suspected   of   being 


^ 

^\  ^ 

•<> 

o 

>> 

u 

3 

C 
a> 
U 


aj 


H 


Shakerism  33 

tainted  with  the  new  doctrine,  was  permitted 
to  preach  the  gospel.  The  Turtle  Creek 
church,  pastor  and  people,  went  over  almost 
bodily  to  the  new  faith.  Thus  the  work 
spread,  gathering  converts  everywhere. 

The  accounts  of  the  ''great  Kentucky  re- 
vival" were  printed  in  all  the  newspapers. 
The  Shakers  about  New  Lebanon  heard 
of  the  wonderful  manifestations,  and, 
through  a  sympathetic  feeling,  mingled  per- 
haps with  desire  to  gather  into  their  own  fold, 
sent  a  deputation  of  three  men  to  visit  the 
Kentucky  and  Ohio  communities  where  God's 
power  had  been  displayed  so  marvelously. 
These  three  men,  John  Meacham,  Benjamin 
Seth  Youngs,  and  Issachar  Bates,  started 
from  New  Lebanon  at  three  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  January  1,  1805.  They  were  car- 
ried in  a  sleigh  the  first  sixty-two  miles,  but 
after  that  traveled  by  foot,  with  one  horse  to 
carry  their  baggage.  Passing  through  Phila- 
delphia, Baltimore,  and  Washington,  they  en- 
tered Kentucky,  where  their  course  led  them 
through   Lexington,   Abingdon,   and   Hawley. 


34  Shakerism 

About  the  first  of  March  they  arrived  at  a 
place  called  Paint  Lick,  and  traveled  thence 
to  Cane  Ridge,  where  Barton  W.  Stone, 
above  mentioned,  entertained  them  hospitably. 
From  that  point  they  turned  their  faces 
northward,  crossed  the  Ohio,  stopped  at  a 
church  called  Springdale,  about  ten  miles 
north  of  Cincinnati,  and  then  proceeded  to 
Turtle  Creek,  where  they  arrived  on  March 
22,  having  traveled  1,233  miles.  They  went 
to  the  home  of  Malcolm  Worley,  whose  house 
stood  on  the  present  Shaker  farm.  Five 
days  later  Mr.  Worley  embraced  the  Shaker 
faith,  declaring  ''that  his  heavenly  Father  had 
promised  to  send  help  from  Zion,"  and  add- 
ing, 'T  am  glad  that  you  are  come."  The  sec- 
ond convert  was  Anna  Middleton,  a  slave, 
which  showed  that  the  Shakers  did  not  draw 
the  color  line.  On  April  24  following.  Pastor 
Richard  McNemar,  wife,  and  children,  were 
received  into  the  Shaker  church.  And  so 
followed  the  whole  Turtle  Creek  church,  to- 
gether with  nearly  all  the  Presbyterian  bodies 
which  had  gone  over  to  the  schismatics.     Of 


Shakerism  35 

course,  this  success  aroused  antagonism.  The 
same  hard  feeHngs  which  the  Presbyterians 
had  shown  to  the  ones  they  called  heretics 
were  displayed  by  the  latter  toward  the 
Shakers.  The  manuscript  records  that  the 
Shakers  kept  are  filled  with  incidents  of  an- 
tagonism toward  the  Shakers,  some  of  which 
developed  into  the  most  severe  persecution. 

On  the  first  Sunday  at  Turtle  Creek  these 
three  missionaries  read  a  letter  sent  from 
New  Lebanon  which,  because  of  the  impor- 
tant history  now  being  made,  is  here  repro- 
duced :  ^ 

'The  Church  of  Christ  unto  a  people  in 
Kentucky  and  the  adjacent  States,  sendeth 
greeting:  We  have  a  work  of  God  among 
you — who  worketh  in  divers  operations  of  his 
power,  for  which  we  feel  thankful,  as  we 
have  an  ardent  desire  that  God  would  carry 
on  his  work  according  to  his  purpose.  We 
know  that  God's  work,  as  it  respects  the  sal- 
vation and  redemption  of  souls,  is  a  strange 
work  which  he  hath  promised  to  bring  to  pass 
in   the  latter  days.     We  also  know  that  the 


36  Shakerism 

servants  of  God  have  been  under  sackcloth 
and  darkness  since  the  falling  away  of  Apos- 
tolic Order,  which  from  the  time  of  Christ's 
ministry  continued  about  four  hundred  years. 
Since  that  time  anti-Christ  has  had  power  to 
reign  in  Christ's  stead,  and  hath  set  up  the 
abomination  that  maketh  desolate,  spoken  of 
by  Daniel  the  prophet,  and  which,  according 
to  the  Scriptures,  Christ  has  to  consume  with 
the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  destroy  with  the 
brightness  of  his  coming.  But  not  to  tarry 
on  those  things,  we  will  come  to  matters  of 
the  present  day.  The  time  being  nearly  fin- 
ished, according  to  the  Scriptures,  that  anti- 
Christ  should  reign,  and  time  fully  come  for 
Christ  to  make  his  second  appearance,  God, 
out  of  his  everlasting  goodness  and  mercy  to 
his  creatures,  in  the  fulness  of  his  promises, 
raised  up  to  himself  witnesses  and  gave  unto 
them  the  same  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that 
were  given  to  the  apostles  in  the  day  of 
Christ's  first  appearing.  The  light  and  power 
and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  were  so  convinc- 
ing, especially  in  the  first  pillar,  attended  with 


Shakerism  37 

die  word  of  prophecy  in  so  marvelous  a 
manner  that  every  heart  was  searched  and 
every  rein  of  those  that  heard  was  tried.  The 
loss  of  man  and  the  work  of  salvation  by 
Christ  in  the  present  witnesses  appearing  so 
unspeakably  great  that,  although  we  had  been 
a  people  that  were  greatly  wrought  upon  by 
the  spirit  of  God,  and  were  looking  for  the 
coming  of  Christ,  yet  the  light  manifested  in 
the  witnesses  showed  us  that  we  were  un- 
speakably short  of  salvation,  and  had  never 
traveled  one  step  in  the  regeneration  towards 
the  new  birth.  For  it  showed  us  that  it  was 
impossible  for  those  who  lived  in  the  works 
of  natural  generation,  copulating  in  the  works 
of  the  flesh,  to  travail  in  the  work  of  regenera- 
tion and  the  new  birth.  And,  as  these  wit- 
nesses had  received  the  revelation  in  this  last 
display  of  grace  of  God  to  a  lost  world,  they 
taught  and  opened  unto  us  the  way  of  God 
which  is  a  way  out  of  all  sin  in  the  manner 
following:  First,  to  believe  in  the  manifes- 
tations of  Christ  in  this  display  of  the  grace  of 
God  to  a  lost  world;  secondly,  to  confess  all 


38  Shakerism 

our  sins;  and,  thirdly,  to  take  up  our  cross 
against  the  flesh,  the '  world,  and  all  evil ; 
which  counsel  we,  by  receiving  and  obeying 
from  the  heart,  have  received  the  gift  of  God 
which  has  separated  us  from  the  course  of 
this  world  and  all  sins  of  our  knowledge,  for 
twenty  years  past  and  upward. 

"We,  therefore,  as  servants  of  Christ  and 
children  of  the  resurrection,  testify  to  all 
people  that  Christ  hath  made  his  second  ap- 
pearing here  on  earth,  and  the  poor  lost  chil- 
dren of  men  know  it  not.  We  know  there 
are  among  the  wise  and  prudent  of  this  gen- 
eration who  are  looking  for  the  coming  of 
Christ  in  this  latter  day  who  entirely  over- 
look the  work  of  God  as  the  ancient  Jews 
did  in  the  day  of  Christ's  first  appearing; 
for  Christ  has  come  and  it  is  hid  from  their 
eyes  and  we  marvel  not  at  it,  for  Christ  said, 
'I  thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and 
earth,  that  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from 
the  wise  and  prudent,  and  revealed  them  unto 
babes.'  But  as  the  work  of  God  which  has 
wrought   mightily   in   us   to   purify   us    from 


Shakerism  39 

the  nature  of  sin  has  been  progressive  from 
step  to  step,  as  we  were  able  to  hear,  from 
one  degree  to  another,  we  cannot  write  par- 
ticularly in  this  letter.  We  hope  and  trust 
vou  will  be  so  far  informed  as  will  be  neces- 
sary  for  your  salvation.  We  feel  union  with 
the  work  of  God  that  is  among  you  as  we 
have  heard,  and  have  a  desire  to  communicate 
something  to  you  that  will  be  for  your  good. 
The  light  of  God  in  the  gospel  has  taught  us 
the  straight  and  narrow  way  that  leadeth  to 
life,  and  not  only  so,  but  has  given  us  to  see 
the  devices  of  Satan  that,  from  ages  past 
down  to  this  day,  when  God  hath  given  his 
Holy  Spirit  to  enlighten  and  convert  the  chil- 
dren of  men,  of  sin,  Satan  would  also  work 
to  heal  their  wounds  slightly  and  to  lead  them 
into  by  and  forbidden  paths,  if  possible,  to 
dishonor  and  destroy  the  work  of  God,  even 
in  them  that  God  had  enlightened  and  called 
to  be  his  witnesses.  We  have  had  a  great 
desire  that  some  of  you  might  have  visited 
us  before  now,  and  we  have  been  waiting  for 
some  time  to  know  the  mind  of  God  in  rela- 


40  Shakerism 

tion  to  you.  We  now,  out  of  duty  to  God 
and  our  fellow  creatures,  have  sent  three  of 
our  brethren  unto  you;  namely,  John 
Meacham,  Benjamin  S.  Youngs,  and  Issachar 
Bates,  who,  we  trust,  will  be  able  to  declare 
things  more  particularly,  and  to  open  unto 
you  the  way  of  life  which  is  a  way  out  of 
all  sin — a  way  that  the  vulture's  eye  never 
saw  and  the  fierce  lion  never  passed.  Re- 
ceive them,  therefore,  as  messengers  of  Christ 
and  friends  to  your  salvation." 

This  letter  was  written  in  the  church  at 
New  Lebanon,  New  York,  December  30, 
1804,  and  was  signed  in  behalf  of  the  church 
by  David  Meacham,  Amos  Hammond,  and 
Ebenezer  Cooly. 

It  was  read  in  the  church  whose  name  was 
changed  later  from  Turtle  Creek  to  Union 
Village,  and  which  comes  into  possession  of 
the  United  Brethren.  The  old  building  is 
not  standing  now,  but  the  location  of  its  suc- 
cessor is  the  same.  Thus,  within  a  few  years, 
the  Turtle  Creek  church  belonged  to  the  Pres- 
byterians, the  schismatics,  and  the  Shakers. 


Shakerism  41 

While  a  new  faith  is  calculated  to  draw 
the  unstable  unto  its  support,  the  gospel  of  the 
Shakers  succeeded  most  admirably.  Disciples 
generally  come  through  the  personal  influence 
of  the  leader.  The  Shakers  of  Union  Village 
were  fortunate  in  having  David  Darrow  ap- 
pointed as  their  first  minister,  sent  west  in 
1805  by  the  ministry  at  New  Lebanon.  He 
had  not  been  on  the  ground  long  until  Ruth 
Farrington  was  sent  as  the  first  eldress  to 
stand  in  the  ministerial  lot  with  him.  Darrow 
was  one  of  the  best  leaders  of  early  Shaker- 
ism. He  was  shrewd,  tactful,  aggressive, 
possessed  of  large  executive  ability,  and  main- 
tained the  confidence  of  all  the  people.  By 
the  end  of  1805  the  Shaker  community  num- 
bered 370,  having  admitted  sixty  families  and 
unmarried  people  of  both  sexes. 

Buildings  became  necessary.  The  usual 
order  of  building  is  to  have  a  central  group," 
constructed  on  the  dormitory  style.  The  large 
brick  building  at  Union  Village  will  serve  as 
an  illustration.  It  is  three  and  a  half  stories 
high,  possessing  full  basement,  finished  from 


42  Shakerism 

.top  to  bottom  in  cherry,  constructed  in  "T" 
shape,  equipped  with  wide  halls  with  living 
rooms  on  either  side,  having  an  open  stairway 
on  either  side  of  the  main  hall  leading  to  the 
next  story,  and  showing  the  best  of  workman- 
ship and  material  throughout.  This  building 
has  thirty-two  rooms,  besides  the  chapel  on 
the  second  floor.  In  it  320  people  have  been 
housed,  and  there  were  ample  accommoda- 
tions for  all.  The  living  rooms  are  spacious, 
and  were  furnished  with  the  best  equipment 
when  occupied  by  the  Shakers. 

Besides  this  home  there  were  three  other 
living  places  in  this  group,  one  of  them  con- 
structed for  a  nursery.  The  church  also  was 
erected  here,  and  school  privileges  provided 
for.  This  was  called  the  center  family,  and 
still  goes  by  that  name.  It  was  the  custom 
to  have  a  north  family,  a  west  family,  a  south 
family,  and  an  east  family,  the  different 
groups  of  buildings  ranging  from  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  to  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  center 
group.  One  of  these  clusters  would  be  set 
aside  for  what  was  called  the  gathering  order, 


Shakerism  43 

people  coming  into  the  Shaker  faith  but  not 
yet  having  accepted  its  covenant  provisions. 
Another  would  be  chosen  for  the  boys,  an- 
other for  the  girls,  and  serving  so  until  a 
change  was  deemed  advisable  in  the  resident 
arrangement.  Sometimes  those  living  at  one 
family  would  be  exchanged  for  those  living 
at  another  family,  as  it  was  not  considered 
wise  for  residents  to  become  too  closely  at- 
tached to  any  one  place. 

And  so  the  Shaker  farm  and  membership 
were  developed  from  the  small  beginnings  in 
the  home  of  Malcolm  Worley.  Worley's- 
children  withdrew  from  the  Shaker  commun- 
ity later,  and  at  his  death  attempted  to  re- 
cover the  property  he  had  placed  into  the 
common  treasury.  By  that  time  these  center 
buildings  had  been  constructed,  and,  if  the 
sons  had  been  successful,  the  community 
would  have  been  well-nigh  bankrupt;  but  the 
courts  held  that  the  covenant  into  which 
Worley  entered  at  his  conversion  was  binding 
upon  his  property. 


44  Shakerism 

The  Shakers  expanded  in  different  direc- 
tions. They  went  into  the  north  part  of 
Ohio,  and,  within  eight  miles  of  the  public 
square  of  Cleveland,  purchased  a  large  tract 
of  land  and  started  a  millennial  colony.  For 
about  three  quarters  of  a  century  this  flour- 
ished, but  was  sold  out  for  $316,000,  and  the 
remaining  inmates  transferred  to  other 
Shaker  communities.  This  was  called  North 
Union,  or,  the  union  north  from  Union  Vil- 
lage. Messengers  went  over  into  Adams 
County,  Ohio,  and  established  another  com- 
munity, which  they  called  East  Union,  mean- 
ing east  from  Union  Village.  Likewise, 
South  Union  was  in  Kentucky,  and  West 
Union  in  Indiana.  About  1822  or  1823,  the 
Watervliet  Society,  east  of  Dayton  about  six 
kiiles,  was  established  and  named  for  the 
original  society  in  eastern  New  York.  It  was 
ordered  dissolved  by  the  New  Lebanon  min- 
istry in  the  last  decade,  and  most  of  its  in- 
mates were  removed  to  Union  Village,  some 
of  them  having  come  from  North  Union  at 
the   dissolution   of   that   body.     The   White- 


Shakerism  45 

water  Society,  near  Harrison,  Ohio,  is  being 
conducted  still.  There  are  no  Shaker  com- 
munities in  Indiana,  and  the  remaining  one 
in  Kentucky  is  nearing  the  close  of  its  earthly 
pilgrimage. 

The  Shakers  are  splendid  judges  of  soil. 
Doctor  Orton,  former  geologist  of  the  State 
of  Ohio,  now  deceased,  said  that  this  land  at 
Union  Village  is  the  best  in  the  State.  Elder 
David  Darrow  found  it  immensely  productive, 
and  in  his  reign  of  twenty  years,  from  1805 
to  1825,  the  society  enjoyed  great  prosperity. 
Four  of  the  buildings  of  the  center  group 
still  standing  were  erected  during  his  admin- 
istration. The  large  office  building,  said  to 
be  the  finest  in  the  State,  was  constructed  in 
1810-11.  The  residence,  afterward  used  as  a 
post-office,  was  built  in  1811.  The  meeting- 
house was  constructed  in  1809,  but  recon- 
structed in  1818,  and  still  stands.  The  large 
nursery  and  apartment  house,  in  which  a 
modern  laundry  now  is  installed,  was  added 
in  1819.  Other  buildings  were  erected,  which, 
including    barns,    number    more    than    fifty. 


46  Shakerism 

Land  was  bought,  and  other  received  by 
donations  from  time'  to  time,  which  finally 
aggregated  4,500  acres.  When  the  writer 
first  visited  the  farm  some  of  the  ground  had 
been  sold,  the  remainder  comprising  4,005 
acres.  No  change  has  been  made  in  the 
boundary  line  since,  so  that  the  United 
Brethren  Church  takes  over  the  entire  place 
of  more  than  four  thousand  acres,  with  its 
equipment  of  above  fifty  buildings. 

When  David  Darrow  died  he  left  a  mem- 
bership of  about  five  hundred.  His  reign  was 
succeeded  by  a  period  of  uncertainty  and  dan- 
ger, which  continued  for  four  years,  marked 
with  schism,  revolt,  and  rebellion.  During 
this  term  the  West  Union  Society  in  Indiana 
broke  up  on  account  of  malaria,  and  Union 
Village  received  a  portion  of  its  membership. 

The  largest  accretion  to  the  Shaker  ranks 
at  any  one  time  followed  what  was  called  the 
Miller  excitement.  The  Millerites  were  com- 
posed of  a  large  number  of  people,  with  head- 
quarters in  Cincinnati,  who  had  set  a  time  for 
the  reappearing  of  Christ.     Several  successive 


Shakerism  47 

dates  were  fixed,  but  they  failed  to  bring 
forth  the  expected  or  desired  appearance. 
There  was  one  particular  day,  about  1846, 
when  the  Christ  was  sure  to  come.  An  ex- 
mayor  of  Lebanon  espoused  the  Millerite 
faith,  went  to  Cincinnati,  taking  along  his 
ascension  robe,  expecting  to  enjoy  translation 
to  heaven  at  a  certain  moment.  Owing  to  a 
failure  of  human  plans  to  connect  with  divine 
purposes  and  power,  this  did  not  happen. 
The  man  said  later  that  he  fully  expected  to 
ascend  to  heaven  in  that  particular  robe  on 
that  special  day.  These  are  matters  of  well- 
known  history,  somewhat  ludicrous  now,  but 
of  moment  at  the  time. 

The  Millerites  were  very  despondent  be- 
cause of  the  miscarriage  of  their  plans  about 
the  end  of  the  world.  Like  Jonah  with  the 
destruction  of  Nineveh,  they  were  sorry  that 
things  were  not  annihilated  according  to  their 
expectations.  In  this  disturbed  state  of  mind, 
they  received  some  representatives  of  the 
Shaker  community.  These  messengers,  im- 
proving   the    psychological    moment,    taught 


48  Shakerism 

the  Millerites  that  Christ  already  had  come 
the  second  time  in  the  person  of  Ann  Lee.  A 
number  of  Millerites  believed,  and  it  resulted 
in  the  addition  of  two  hundred  converts,  a 
large  part  of  them  coming  to  Union  Village, 
some  to  Whitewater. 

The  turning  point  in  Shaker  prosperity  is 
set  at  about  sixty  years  ago,  particularly  in 
the  wiestern  communities.  Several  reasons 
may  be  assigned.  In  the  first  place,  opposing 
marriage,  they  cannot  reproduce  themselves, 
and  must  depend  upon  proselytes  from  the 
world  to  maintain  their  spiritual  order.  Again, 
being  a  communistic  society,  the  Shakers  re- 
quire that  all  people  give  up  their  individual 
possessions  and  ambitions  as  such.  Again, 
some  bad  people,  seeing  an  opportunity  to  get 
control  of  large  amounts  of  money  without 
rendering  a  strict  account,  came  in  with  evil 
hearts  and  defrauded  to  unknown  figures. 
Again,  in  a  community  of  this  l<and  every- 
thing depends  upon  the  wisdom  of  the  leader, 
and  sometimes  the  Shakers  have  not  been 
blessed  with  that  kind  of  spiritual  and  tem- 


a 

3 

o 

u 

o 


u 


o 

bD 
C 

is 

"3 
PQ 


3 

o 

c 


« 


H 


Shakerism  49 

poral  guidance.  Though  being  opposed  to 
war,  some  deserted  the  village  for  the  front, 
others  were  drafted,  and  this  had  a  deleteri- 
ous effect.  Underneath  other  causes,  some 
of  the  leaders  are  convinced  that  lives  of  sex 
separation  are  not  in  accordance  with  the 
divine  order  of  things,  and  have  lost  their 
spirit  of  aggressiveness.  Statistics  have  not 
been  kept  to  show  the  growth  and  the  decay 
of  the  Shaker  communities,  but  it  is  safe  to 
say  that  they  never  reached  ten  thousand  at 
any  time  in  the  United  States.  Their  num- 
ber is  estimated  now  at  about  six  hundred. 

One  of  the  interesting  missionary  expedi- 
tions of  the  Shakers  began  March  17,  1807, 
when  David  Darrow,  Richard  McNemar, 
and  Benjamin  S.  Youngs  set  out  in  search  of 
the  Shawnee  Indians,  and  six  days  later  ar- 
rived at  their  village,  now  called  Greenville, 
Ohio.  According  to  the  manuscript  record, 
the  missionaries  rode  up  to  a  large  frame 
house,  about  forty  by  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  in  size,  surrounded  by  a  half-hundred 
smoking  cottages.      Some   men   standing  be- 


50  Shakerism 

fore  the  door  were  saluted,  and  the  visitors 
were  directed  to  a  wigwam  where  a  man 
could  speak  English.  After  asserting  that 
feelings  were  friendly  toward  the  pale  face, 
and  that  red  men  and  white  men  are  brothers, 
the  following  conversation  occurred: 

"Where  are  your  chiefs?  We  wish  to  have 
a  talk  with  them." 

''They  are  about  four  miles  up  making 
sugar." 

"What  are  their  names?'' 

"Lal-lu-et-see-ka  and  Te-kum-tha." 

"Can  any  of  them  talk  English?" 

"No,  but  there  is  a  good  interpreter  there, 
George  Bluejacket.  He  has  gone  to  school 
and  can  talk  and  read  well." 

"What  is  that  big  house  for?" 

"To  worship  the  Great  Spirit." 

"How  do  you  worship?" 

"Mostly  in   speaking." 

"Who  is  your  chief   speaker? 

"Our  prophet  Lal-lu-et-see-ka.  He  con- 
verses with  the  Great  Spirit  and  tells  us  how 
to  be  good." 


Shakerism  51 

Thus  the  Indians  over  whom  presided  the 
great  war  chief  Tecumseh  were  acquainted 
with  reHgious  matters.  They  made  several 
visits  to  the  Shaker  village,  and  nothing  is 
on  record  except  what  is  favorable  to  the  re- 
ligious life  and  the  honesty  of  the  redskins. 
It  is  not  recorded  that  any  of  them  adopted 
the  Shaker  faith. 

In  one  hundred  and  seven  years  the 
Shakers  at  Union  Village  have  had  eleven 
persons  who  were  first  in  the  ministry.  After 
the  interregnum,  1825-1829,  Solomon  King 
held  the  place  from  1829  to  1835.  David 
Meacham  succeeded  him,  and  continued  one 
year,  appointed  by  his  predecessor.  It  is  said 
that  he  lived  ''in  the  meeting-house."  Free- 
gift  Wells  ruled  as  first  minister  from  1836 
to  1843,  appointed  by  the  eastern  ministry. 
With  the  consent  of  the  ministry  at  New  Leb- 
anon, he  resigned  in  favor  of  John  Martin, 
who  reigned  from  1843  to  1859.  He  was  re- 
leased by  a  representative  from  the  eastern 
ministry,  who  named  Aaron  Babbitt,  who 
presided  over  the  spiritual  affairs  from  1859 


52  Shakerism 

to  1868,  embracing  the  dangerous  period  of 
the  Civil  War.  He  also  lived  in  the  meeting- 
house. Amos  Parkhurst  was  appointed  by 
the  New  Lebanon  ministry,  and  was  at  the 
head  of  Union  Village  affairs  from  1868  to 
1875.  In  the  latter  year  William  Reynolds 
began  his  oversight  at  Union  Village,  ap- 
pointed by  a  representative  from  the  East, 
and  continued  until  1881.  Then  Mathew  C. 
Carter,  chosen  by  the  eastern  ministry,  sanc- 
tioned by  the  Union  Village  church,  ruled 
until  1890.  Then  came  the  memorable  and 
disastrous  reign  of  Joseph  R.  Slingerland, 
who  began  in  1890  and  continued  twelve  or 
fifteen  years.  It  was  one  of  the  worst  gov- 
ernments, from  the  standpoint  of  temporal 
prosperity,  to  which  any  communistic  order 
ever  submitted.  Slingerland's  successor,  I 
believe,  removed  to  Whitewater,  and  the  place 
since  has  been  vacant.  The  great  tract  of 
land  purchased  in  the  South  under  Slinger- 
land, the  hotel  venture  in  Minneapolis,  and  the 
general  recklessness  with  which  money  was 
taken  care  of  threw  heavy  financial   respon- 


Shakerism  53 

sibility  upon  the  shoulders  of  James  H.  Fen- 
nessey,  who  became  manager  of  the  farm 
after  SHngerland.  The  real  estate  at  Water- 
vliet  was  so  heavily  in  debt  that  a  mortgage 
of  $40,000  had  to  be  placed  upon  it  to  pre- 
serve the  property,  this  being  furnished  by 
Denison  University.  The  State  now  owns 
this  land,  and  will  use  it  for  a  hospital. 

The  development  of  the  Shaker  commun- 
ity depends  almost  wholly  upon  the  person- 
ality and  the  executive  ability  of  the  chief 
man  in  charge.  Prosperity  or  decline  has 
been  noted  nearly  all  these  years  according 
as  the  chief  elder  was  able  to  push  things 
forward  or  was  compelled  to  kt  matters  take 
their  own  course.  But  the  time  came  when 
the  very  best  of  leaders  failed  in  a  task 
which  society  regards  as  out  of  harmony  with 
the  divine  order  and  process. 


o 


o 


o 
a 


> 

o 

o 


a; 


C 


o 

!£ 
O 


Q 

l-l 


fciO 

>..2 
o   ^ 

be    o 

rt    O 

I— I      » 

•  6 

*  o 

•ffi 

T— ( 


W) 
n) 
C 

o 

c 
v 

Ih 

m 

(U 
■♦-< 

t3 


3 


> 
O 


3 

*c5 


a\ 


c 
C 


« 


bo 

c 

CD     rt 


ON 


.2 

O 

s" 
o 

■l-t 

Q 


CO 
Ui 

"o     . 

Q  .2 

o 

c 
o 

>> 

Q 


be 

03 


> 

'c 
ID 


V 

s 

o 

T) 

_  c 
o   "J 

E    bfl 

5     to 

en    C 

XI     ft 

en  ^ 
en     t-i 

>.« 

JO  •O 

l-H 


a 

O 

H 


05 


< 


Shaker  Life  and  Customs 

PRECEDING  chapters  have  named  some 
distinguishing  characteristics  of  the 
Shaker  life.  First,  and  most  impor- 
tant, is  its  universal  communistic  order.  Sec- 
ond, is  the  celibate  condition  in  which  men 
and  women  live,  reaching  even  to  the  separa- 
tion of  husbands  from  wives. 

It  may  be  inferred  from  the  foregoing 
chapters  that  the  Shakers  are  industrious, 
frugal,  simple  minded  as  opposed  to  osten- 
tatious, and  genuinely  honest.  In  all  their 
work,  their  words,  and  their  aspirations, 
these  traits  show  forth  as  though  deeply  em- 
bedded in  their  very  natures.  Locations  were 
selected  with  a  view  to  developing  various 
industries.  The  Turtle  Creek  Presbyterian 
church,  which  appeared  in  the  first  chapter, 
was  so  named  because  of  its  proximity  to 
Turtle  Creek.  This  stream  possessed  fine 
opportunities  for  a  mill  pond,  with  necessary 

57 


58  Shakerism 

dam  and  race  for  the  grinding  of  flour. 
Shaker  locations  always  were  sought  with  a 
view  to  practical  activity  and  life.  At  Union 
Village  thousands  of  barrels  of  flour  were 
manufactured,  and  at  another  water-power 
location  on  the  same  ground  thousands  of 
feet  of  lumber  were  sawed.  The  water  at 
the  mill  pond  served  also  for  fish.  Factories 
were  established,  and  brooms,  stoves,  chairs, 
beds,  cupboards,  and  similar  articles  were 
made  right  on  the  ground.  The  stamp  of 
Shaker  manufacture  was  a  guaranty  for  good 
material  and  splendid  workmanship.  Garden 
seeds  were  raised  and  sold  throughout  the 
entire  section,  many  people  thinking  that  seed 
would  not  grow  unless  it  was  purchased  of 
the  Shakers.  For  several  years  routes  were 
laid  out  reaching  across  the  Mississippi  River, 
the  drummers  from  Shakertown  carrying 
garden  seeds,  discovering  purchasers  every- 
where, and  making  a  good  profit.  This  was 
discontinued  later,  according  to  the  records, 
because  the  brilliant  colors  on  seed  packets 
put  up  by  other  firms  attracted  the  attention 


Shakerism  59 

of  buyers  away  from  the  unpretentious  yellow 
and  brown  packets  of  the  Shakers.  Cane 
molasses  was  an  article  of  manufacture,  and 
tons  of  sugar  were  made  from  the  maple 
trees.  Thousands  of  sugar  trees  were  native 
to  the  land,  and  in  one  year  five  thousand 
pounds  of  sugar  were  made  from  the  sap 
they  yielded.  Fifteen  thousand  bushels  of 
wheat  have  been  raised  in  one  year.  Bonnets, 
baskets,  perfumes,  wines,  and  medicines  were 
placed  on  the  local  market  and  attained  more 
than  a  local  reputation.  The  Shaker  sarsa- 
parilla  carried  with  it  its  own  guaranty  of 
purity.  The  same  was  true  of  peppermint 
and  other  essences.  The  present  laundry 
building,  erected  for  a  nursery,  used  to  be 
stacked  with  wagon  loads  of  rose  bloom,  from 
which  an  attar  of  roses  was  extracted  for  the 
trade.  These  roses  were  cultivated  very  ex- 
tensively on  the  farm. 

This  diversified  industry  required  excellent 
barns  and  workshops.  Everything  that  the 
community  needed  was  made  right  on  the 
ground,   and   a  large  quantity   was  left  over 


60  Shakerism 

for  outside  trade.  The  Shakers  living  at 
Watervliet  rented  stalls  in  the  Dayton  market 
house,  and  took  their  produce  there  for  sale. 
They  entered  contests  at  the  county  fairs  and 
carried  away  prizes.  One  entry  in  the  jour- 
nal under  the  date  of  September  16,  1857, 
says,  "Finished  burning  120,000  bricks  at  $2 
per  thousand." 

Th;e  Shaker  farm  supports  six  hundred 
cattle,  with  a  corresponding  number  of  hogs. 
Sheep  have  been  raised  extensively,  with  suffi- 
cient horses  to  carry  on  the  farm  work.  In 
the  writer's  possession  is  a  photograph  of 
fifty-eight  cattle,  mostly  Polled  Angus,  which 
was  taken  on  the  Shaker  farm,  March  1, 
1910.  All  these  were  bred,  reared,  and  fed 
on  the  Shaker  farm,  and  brought  $4,700  in 
cash,  being  sold  for  export.  Farmers  have 
known  where  to  go  when  they  wished  to  tone 
up  their  stock  or  change  the  strain  of  blood. 

No  distinctive  garb  now  marks  the  Shakers. 
The  shoulder  kerchief  is  about  a  yard  square, 
home-made,  woven  from  excellent  material, 
and  is  used  more  for  comfort  than  religion. 


Shakerism  61 

The  white  cap  generally  is  worn  by  the 
women.  The  regulation  bonnet  was  made  of 
a  material  resembling  straw,  yellow  in  color, 
extending  far  in  front  of  the  face,  with  a 
silk  apron  behind.  Formerly  the  men  were 
clean  shaven.  Then  short  side  whiskers  be- 
gan to  make  their  appearance.  Now  any  style 
is  allowable,  though  the  majority  still  main- 
tain the  smooth  face.  The  men  wear  any 
kind  of  clothing  they  desire.  Their  collars 
are  chosen  without  regard  to  rule,  and  they 
wear  or  discard  the  necktie  as  it  suits  their 
individual  pleasure. 

The  sex  separation  line  has  been  manifest 
in  table  habits.  Generally  two  dining  rooms 
have  been  maintained,  one  on  either  side  the 
main  hallway,  for  men  and  for  women  re- 
spectively. The  old  custom  of  kneeling  be- 
fore taking  a  place  at  the  table  has  ended,  but 
the  meals  usually  are  eaten  in  solemn  silence. 
No  one  who  has  been  a  guest  at  a  Shaker 
settlement  has  any  fear  that  they  ever  will 
starve,  or  even  live  on  short  rations.  The 
very  best  of  food  is  prepared,  and  in  quanti- 


62  Shakerism 

ties  sufficient  to  satisfy  any  appetite.  Be- 
sides, the  quality  of  the  cooking  cannot  be 
surpassed  by  any  one  anywhere. 

The  designing  and  the  unscrupulous  have 
taken  advantage  of  the  well-known  hospital- 
ity of  the  Shakers.  In  the  prosperous  days 
of  Union  Village  no  visitor  ever  was  turned 
away.  The  Sabbath  day  became  an  estab- 
lished occasion  for  the  gathering  of  outsiders, 
ostensibly  to  attend  the  services,  but  in  reality 
to  enjoy  a  square  meal  at  the  expense  of  the 
believers.  As  many  as  five  hundred  people 
have  taken  dinner  at  the  Shaker  homes  on  a 
single  Sunday. 

The  Shakers  always  have  been  temperate, 
although  there  has  been  little  legislation  on 
meats  and  drinks.  Liquor  as  a  beverage  al- 
ways has  been  disapproved.  In  1843  Sunday 
meat  was  put  under  the  ban.  In  1848  all  the 
hogs  were  sold  except  a  few  to  consume  the 
waste  from  the  settlement  kitchen,  but  the 
swine  did  not  remain  long  in  disfavor.  At 
my  first  visit  to  the  farm  there  were  six  hun- 
dred hogs  on  the  place.     Every  person  is  to 


Shakerism  63 

be  his  own  judge  now  as  to  the  eating  of 
meats.  Notwithstanding  the  Miami  Valley  is 
a  great  tobacco  country,  no  tobacco  ever  has 
been  raised  on  the  Shaker  premises ;  yet  there 
is  no  law  against  its  use  by  members  of  the 
community.  The  weed  is  used  by  but  few 
inmates  of  the  homes,  and  that  in  extreme 
moderation. 

A  sane  position  on  the  use  of  drugs  has 
been  maintained,  as  would  be  supposed  from 
manufacture  of  medicines  previously  narrated. 
For  about  eighteen  years  a  Lebanon  physician 
has  been  retained  by  the  Shakers,  who  visits 
the  settlement  twice  every  week,  and  oftener 
should  the  condition  of  any  of  the  brothers 
and  sisters  make  it  necessary.  The  patients 
prefer  to  remain  at  Union  Village,  though 
having  the  privilege  of  going  elsewhere  for 
treatment.  Some  have  been  taken  to  hospitals 
in  case  local  nursing  was  not  sufficient  for 
recuperation  or  for  comfort. 

Marked  simplicity  is  observed  at  funerals. 
Services  are  held  over  a  dead  body,  any  one 
being  permitted   to   speak  of  the  virtues  of 


64  Shakerism 

the  departed  if  so  impelled.  The  early  graves 
were  unmarked  by  slab  or  stone  of  any  kind, 
not  even  a  wooden  stake  or  board  designating 
the  place.  Later,  rough  stones  were  used, 
with  the  initials  of  the  brother  or  sister 
carved  thereon.  But  the  customs  and  condi- 
tions at  Shaker  cemeteries  in  more  recent 
years  have  become  similar  to  those  in  other 
burying  grounds.  There  are  two  old  Shaker 
cemeteries  on  the  farm  at  Union  Village,  but 
for  several  years  all  interments  have  been 
made  in  the  general  burying  ground  at  Leb- 
anon. The  Shakers  frown  upon  mourning 
or  any  garb  of  mourning  as  being  unphilo- 
sophic  and  contrary  to  their  spiritual  belief. 
The  temporal  affairs  of  a  Shaker  commun- 
ity are  cared  for  by  deacons.  Those  in  high- 
est authority,  selected  to  manage  the  real 
estate,  sometimes  are  called  office  deacons,  or 
official  deacons,  or  acting  trustees,  or  trustees. 
They  are  appointed  by  the  ministry,  selected 
because  of  supposed  fitness  for  their  places, 
and  are  the  agents  in  the  buying  or  transfer 
of  any  ground.     Under  these  chief  deacons, 


Shakerism  65 

or  trustees,  are  similar  bodies  of  subordinate 
rank.  These  take  charge  of  the  family  mat- 
ters, such  as  purchasing  or  dispensing  food, 
or  the  direction  of  any  kind  of  work.  Men 
are  selected  for  the  male  contingent  and 
women  for  the  female  portion.  The  names  of 
the  ministry,  elders,  trustees,  and  family 
deacons  in  1830,  as  taken  by  MacLean  from 
the  manuscript  record  and  published,  are  as 
follows,  an  illustration  of  the  method  in  vogue 
for  over  a  century: 

"Ministry,  Solomon  King,  Joshua  Worley, 
Rachel  Johnson,  Nancy  McNemar;  elders  at 
center  house,  Daniel  Setting,  Andrew  C. 
Houston,  Eliza  Sharp,  Molly  Kitchell ;  elders 
at  brick  house,  William  Sharp,  James  Mc- 
Nemar, Anna  Boyd,  Caty  Rubert;  elders  at 
north  house,  Abner  Bedelle,  Joseph  C.  Wor- 
ley, Charlotte  Morrell,  Betsy  Dunlavy;  elders 
at  south  house,  Stephen  Spinning,  Daniel 
Davis,  Elizabeth  Sharp,  Nancy  Milligan; 
elders  at  west  brick  house,  Eli  Houston, 
John  Gee,  Junior,  Caty  Boyd,  Charity  Slater; 
elders    at    square    house,    Nathaniel    Taylor, 


66  Shakerism 

Clark  Valentine,  Malinda  Watts,  Martha 
Houston;  elders  at  eaSt  house,  James  Smith, 
Jacob  Holloway,  Anna  Bromfield,  Peggy 
Knox;  trustees  or  office  deacons,  Nathan 
Sharp,  Henry  Valentine,  Ithamar  Johnson, 
Polly  Thomas,  Betsy  Dickson;  family  dea- 
cons, Thomas  Hunt,  William  Davis,  Amos 
Valentine,  Daniel  Miller,  William  Runyon, 
Samuel  Holloway,  Jesse  Legier,  Betsy  Wait, 
Betsy  Patterson,  Rachel  Duncan,  Susannah 
Miller,  Jenny  Slater,  Janna  Woodruff,  Esther 
Davis." 

It  is  noted  in  the  above  list  of  names  of 
officers  that  an  equal  number  of  men  and 
women  are  chosen  for  the  various  places,  in 
harmony  with  the  theological  idea  that  the 
male  and  female  elements  exist  in  the  Deity. 
This  enumeration  of  houses  also  represents 
the  style  of  life  immediately  after  the  inter- 
regnum of  four  years,  which  was  noted  in 
the  preceding  chapter. 

Whatever  monotony  there  was  in  Shaker 
life  was  relieved  by  the  visit  of  distinguished 
persons.     On  June  16,  1825,  Henry  Clay  was 


Shakerism  67 

received  at  Union  Village,  and  his  visit  was 
repeated  two  days  later  in  the  company  of 
other  persons  from  Lebanon.  On  the  twenty- 
second  of  the  same  month,  Governor  George 
Clinton,  of  New  York,  Governor  Morrow,  of 
Ohio,  General  William  Henry  Harrison,  and 
others  who  had  been  attending  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  opening  of  the  Miami  Canal  at 
Middletown,  looked  over  the  farm  and  com- 
muned with  the  membership.  On  May  2, 
1826,  the  duke  of  Saxony,  with  his  retinue, 
paid  the  community  a  visit.  Governor  Jud- 
son  Harmon,  the  present  chief  executive  of 
Ohio,  and  his  successor,  James  M.  Cox,  know 
the  community  well.  The  latter  was  raised 
in  a  United  Brethren  home,  was  the  first  one 
to  attach  his  name  to  the  incorporation 
papers  for  the  Orphanage  and  Home,  and 
gladly  gives  his  time  and  service  as  a  trustee 
of  the  philanthropic  institution  which  the- 
United  Brethren  Church  purposes  to  conduct 
on  the  ground  made  sacred  by  the  honest,  in- 
dustrious, and  frugal  life  of  as  upright  people 
as  ever  gathered  together  to  serve  God  in 
their  own  peculiar  way. 


o 

H 

o 


o 


15 

u 

O 

O 

u 

<u 

u 
O 


r3 
bo 


2     -* 


-?        On 


O 


o 

O 

c" 
o 
•t-i 

>^ 

Q 

Ui 

S.2 

be  'u 

03     o 

.— 1     en 

n::  ^ 

>    =3 

'^      en 

.2  ^ 
c   o 

TD      -4-) 

•*-"  "^ 

03  ..-J 

o  rt 

O  Gi 


4) 

6 
o 


c 


o 


Wi 


4> 

u 


0\ 


c 

c 


z  s 


o\ 


en 

Q 


.2 

15 

O 

c 
o 

■4-1 

Q 


u 

^ 


3 


43 


J3 

o 

c 
o 

•4-> 


u 

(U 

ho 

a 


c 
_o 

'5 


6 
o 


o         eg 


rt 
^ 


bo 

c 

O  ^ 

c   o 
"i:  o 


o 

c 

o 
o 


< 


Shaker  Persecution 

RELIGIOUS  persecution  has  been  most 
bitter.  An  exclusive  sect  showing  the 
pecuHarities  of  the  Shakers  perhaps 
should  not  expect  to  go  forward  free  from 
the  antagonism  of  the  world  and  wickedness. 
Their  history  reveals  an  abundance  of  cold- 
blooded plotting  and  studied  antagonism  of 
many  forms  which  ought  to  find  no  place  in 
the  conduct  of  so-called  Christian  men. 

Ann  Lee  had  not  been  in  America  very 
long  until  she  was  cast  into  prison.  Her  pro- 
nounced opposition  to  service  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  inasmuch  as  she  had  come  from 
England  recently,  stamped  her  as  a  sym- 
pathizer with  King  George  in  the  eyes  of 
patriotic  Americans,  and  she  was  thrust  into 
jail.  The  same  anti-war  spirit  being  shown 
in  1813,  when  our  country  was  at  war  with 
England  again,  five  persons  at  Union  Village 
were   drafted   into   the   American   army,   and 

71 


72  Shakerism 

two  from  the  Indiana  society.  Though  re- 
quired to  join  a  detachment  at  Lebanon,  they 
were  furloughed  three  days  later.  A  week 
afterward  they  were  marched  to  Dayton  un- 
der charge,  and  four  days  subsequently  they 
returned  home.  However,  on  October  1,  they 
were  taken  to  Lebanon  again  under  pretense 
of  having  deserted,  and  on  the  third  were 
marched  to  Xenia,  thence  to  Franklinton,  and 
thence  to  Sandusky.  As  no  amount  of  per- 
suasion could  compel  them  to  shoulder  arms, 
they  were  discharged  on  November  24,  and 
returned  home,  to  the  great  joy  and  rejoicing 
of  their  brothers. 

The  same  spirit  of  oppression  was  at- 
tempted at  the  opening  of  the  Civil  War. 
Some  of  the  younger  members  were  seized 
with  the  war  spirit  and  ran  off  to  smell  pow- 
der. Others  were  drafted,  and  fines  were 
imposed  for  not  attending  general  muster. 
At  New  Lebanon,  New  York,  the  political 
wires  were  crossed,  and  a  strange  procedure 
resulted.  Through  the  scheming  of  Samuel 
J.  Tilden,  the  entire  local  conscription  at  New 


Shakerism  73 

Lebanon  fell  on  the  Shakers.  Secretary  of 
War  Stanton,  who  had  lived  in  Ohio  and 
knew  the  Shakers,  decided  that  they  should 
be  furloughed  as  fast  as  drafted,  and  this 
order  afterwards  was  confirmed  by  President 
Abraham  Lincoln. 

The  Shakers  were  consistent  in  their  opposi- 
tion to  war.  When  pressed  into  service,  they 
refused  pensions,  and  also  grants  of  land  for 
military  duty.  MacLean  says,  quoting  from 
manuscript  records,  that  they  observed  na- 
tional proclamations  for  thanksgiving  or  fast- 
ing and  prayers,  yet  were  not  unmindful  of 
the  distress  caused  by  the  conflict  of  war. 
Cincinnati  held  a  sanitary  fair  in  1863,  and 
the  Shakers  contributed  one  and  one-fourth 
barrels  of  tomato  catsup,  one  barrel  of  sauer 
kraut,  five  barrels  of  dried  apples,  one  barrel 
of  green  apples,  four  and  one-half  bushels  of 
dried  sweet  corn,  eight  dozen  brooms,  five 
boxes  of  garden  seeds,  ten  gallons  of  goose- 
berry sauce,  and  five  gallons  of  apple  pre- 
serves, representing  an  estimated  value  then 
of  $158.50. 


74  Shakerism 

Perhaps    the   mast    dangerous    persecutionj 
was   from  mobs,   the  most  serious  of  which 
was     formed    in     1810.      In    describing    the 
events    of    this    day   we    let    another    speak: 
'The  first  mob  that  assembled  at  Union  Vil- 
lage was  on  Monday,  August  27,   1810.    The 
mob    consisted   of    a    body    of    five    hundred 
armed  men,  led  by  officers  in  military  array, 
preceded  and  followed  by  a  large  concourse 
of    spectators   of   all   descriptions   of   people, 
estimated  at  nearly  two  thousand  in  number, 
whose  object  was  to  witness  a  conflict  between 
the  military  and  a  few  harmless  and  defense- 
less   Shakers.     Among   this   great   concourse 
were  many  who  were  friendly  to  the  society, 
and  whose  only  wish  was  to  prevent  mischief 
and  preserve  peace;  but  the  far  greater  num- 
ber were   either   entire   strangers   or   decided 
enemies,  who  came  to  support  the  military  in 
case  of  necessity.    Many  of  these  were  armed 
in  mob  array,   some  with  guns  and  swords, 
some  with  bayonets  fixed  on  poles  or  sticks 
of   various   lengths,    and   others   with   staves, 
hatchets,  knives,  and  clubs.     These  formed  a 


Shakerism  75 

motley  multitude  of  every  description,  from 
ragged  boys  to  hoary-headed  men,  exhibiting 
altogether  a  hideous  and  grotesque  appear- 
ance. This  ruthless  assemblage  gathered  for 
the  purpose  of  infringing  on  the  rights  of 
conscience,  and  in  the  public  press  of  that 
day  was  called,  *An  expedition  against 
the   Shakers.' 

"This  extraordinary  proceeding  was 
agitated  first  principally  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  one  John  Davis,  John  and  Rob- 
ert Wilson,  and  John  Bedle,  apostates,  who 
had  become  bold  in  wickedness  and  false 
accusations  against  their  former  coreligion- 
ists, whereby  those  who  had  long  waited  for 
false  witnesses  to  accuse  the  Shakers  of 
something  criminal  seized  the  opportunity  to 
accomplish  their  purpose." 

Some  members  of  this  mob,  while  it  was 
in  process  of  organization,  attended  religious 
services  August  26,  including  Captain  Robin- 
son, who  avowed  that  they  would  be  on  the 
ground  the  next  day  for  the  purpose  of  vio- 
lence.    The  Shakers  continued  at  their  usual 


^(i  Shakerism 

occupations  on  Monday  morning  as  though 
nothing  was  expected  to  happen.  Strangers 
who  were  drawn  thither  by  curiosity  and 
expectation  began  to  arrive  at  eight  o'clock. 
It  was  not  until  one  o'clock  that  the  troops 
entered  the  village,  going  south  on  the  Day- 
ton road,  marching  in  order,  and  halting  in 
front  of  the  meeting-house.  Among  the 
charges  preferred  was  that  a  boy  had  been 
murdered  by  the  Shakers  and  the  fact  kept 
secret.  The  boy  was  produced  alive  and  well, 
looking  as  though  he  had  been  enjoying  three 
square  meals  a  day.  One  demand  was  that 
some  children  at  the  Shaker  settlement  should 
be  given  up  to  their  grandfather.  The 
Shakers  replied  that  the  mother,  under  whose 
care  the  children  were,  seemed  to  them  to 
have  the  greatest  right  to  her  own  offspring; 
besides,  the  children  were  under  the  authority 
of  their  mother,  and  the  Shakers  as  such  had 
no  control  over  them  whatever.  But  the  mob 
was  bent  on  violence,  and  intended  to  wreak 
vengeance  of  some  kind  for  fancied  griev- 
ances.    Some  of  the  men  and  women  of  the 


Shakerism  77 

village  were  struck  with  clubs  and  whips  and 
knocked  to  the  ground.  There  would  have 
been  bloodshed  had  it  not  been  for  a  few 
courageous  souls  who  stepped  out  on  the  side 
of  the  persecuted  people  and  demanded  that 
they  be  given  a  fair  show  and  a  square  deal. 
The  mob  leaders  had  decided  to  drive  the 
Shakers  out  of  the  community,  and  Major 
Robinson  harangued  his  followers  to  that  ef- 
fect, declaring  that  they  must  leave  by  the 
first  of  December  or  suffer  the  consequences. 
On  this  proposition  he  voted  the  mob,  and 
was  answered  by  uplifted  hands  and  a  gen- 
eral yell  of  approval.  Miss  Liddell,  the  old- 
est member  at  present,  says  that  it  was  neces- 
sary for  some  of  the  Shaker  leaders  to  go 
among  their  people  and  give  firm  counsel 
about  non-resistance,  else  they  would  have 
taken  things  into  their  own  hands  and  han- 
dled  some   members   of   the   mob   roughly. 

The  Western  Star,  published  at  Lebanon, 
Ohio,  at  this  time  was  particularly  bitter 
against  the  Shakers,  and  came  out  in  its  next 
issue     with    a     story    entitled,     "Expedition 


78  Shakerism 

Against  the  Shakers."  How  different  its  bear- 
ing at  the  present  time!  On  November  1, 
1912,  when  the  writer  was  at  Union  Village 
with  about  forty  friends,  the  editor  of 
the  Western  Star  also  was  there,  regarded 
and  received  as  a  friend.  It  has  been  his 
custom  to  publish  nothing  m  regard  to  the 
Shakers  which  has  not  received  the  approval 
of  their  leaders.  In  accordance  with  this 
custom,  he  requested  something  authoritative 
regarding  the  purpose  of  the  United  Brethren 
Church  touching  the  community  and  the  in- 
stitutions it  proposes  to  establish  on  the 
grounds.  On  December  3,  1817,  two  mem- 
bers of  the  community  went  to  Columbus  to 
present  a  protest  to  the  legislature  against 
Editors  Van  Vleet  and  Cameron  of  the  West- 
ern Star,  and  others  on  account  of  persecu- 
tion. This  antagonism,  however,  gradually 
died  away,  and  the  changed  policy  of  the 
paper    has   been    maintained    ever    since. 

There  were  subsequent  mobs  in  1813,  1817, 
1819,  and  in  1824.  Most  of  them  had  to  do 
with  getting  some  disciples  out  of  the  com- 


Shakerism  79 

munity  who  were  said  to  be  detained  forcibly 
against  their  wills.  In  every  case  the  mob 
retreated  without  making  its  charges  good, 
and  the  Shakers  vindicated  themselves  in  the 
eyes  of  their  persecutors,  as  well  as  in  the 
estimation  of  the  public. 

Another  species  of  persecution  was  of  the 
legal  character.  An  oppressive  law  was  en- 
acted January  11,  1811,  which  was  aimed  at 
the  property  rights  of  men  who  joined  the 
Shakers,  and  as  a  consequence  turned  over 
their  property  to  the  society.  This  was 
claimed  to  be  a  violation  of  the  covenant  of 
marriage.  Two  sections  from  this  law  are 
reproduced  here  as  follows : 

"Be  it  further  enacted,  that  all  gifts,  grants, 
or  devises  of  money  or  property,  real  or  per- 
sonal, which  may  be  made  by  any  man  as 
aforesaid,  violating  the  marriage  covenant,  to 
such  sect  as  before  described,  or  any  members 
of  such  sect,  which  may  tend  to  deprive  his 
wife  or  children  of  that  support  to  which  they 
are  entitled,  according  to  the  true  intent  and 
meaning  of  this  act,  shall  be  utterly  void;  and 


80  Shakerism 

all  money  or  property  so  given,  granted,  or 
devised,  may  be  recovered  at  the  suit  of  the 
party  injured. 

*'And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  if  any  per- 
son shall,  with  an  intent  of  causing  any  mar- 
ried man  or  woman  to  renounce  the  marriage 
covenant,  or  abandon  their  wives,  husbands, 
or  children,  entice  or  persuade  such  person  to 
join  any  sect,  or  denomination  of  persons 
whatever,  whose  principles  and  practice  incul- 
cate a  renunciation  of  the  matrimonial  con- 
tract, or  the  abandonment  of  wives  and 
children,  or  either  of  them,  contrary  to  the 
true  intent  and  meaning  of  the  marriage  in- 
stitution, shall,  on  conviction  thereof,  be  fined 
in  any  sum  not  exceeding  five  hundred  dol- 
lars, at  the  discretion  of  the  court  having  by 
law  jurisdiction;  and  that  all  fines  incurred 
under  this  section  shall  be  paid  into  the 
treasury  of  the  proper  county  for  the  use  of 
the  same." 

The  Shakers  have  suffered  from  the  Pres- 
byterians, the  so-called  schismatics,  and  even 
the   Quakers.      These   things  were   incidental 


Shakerism  81 

to  a  religious  communistic  life,  and  perhaps 
should  not  be  held  against  the  oppressors. 
The  Morgan  raid  during  the  Civil  War  af- 
fected the  society  somewhat  at  Whitewater, 
though  greater  depredations  occurred  a  few 
miles  distant.  Storms  have  been  unfavorable, 
and  buildings  destroyed  by  floods.  Unprin- 
cipled rascals  have  regarded  the  Shakers  as 
"easy,"  and  have  cheated  them  out  of  thou- 
ands  of  dollars. 

Some  frauds  were  on  the  inside.  Time 
after  time  schemers  have  come  to  the  village, 
and  have  professed  conversion  to  Shaker  faith 
solely  to  secure  appointments  as  trustees.  This 
meant  the  handling  of  funds ;  and  the  hidden 
purpose  was  to  abscond  with  a  lot  of  money 
that  had  been  accumulated  by  the  industry  of 
honest  but  unsuspecting  folks.  It  was  pretty 
safe  to  follow  this  method,  because  the 
Shakers  were  opposed  to  going  to  law  to  re- 
cover property.  A  few  actual  incidents  may 
be  cited  here: 

A  man  came  to  Union  Village  under  the 
significant   name   of   Lorenzo   Dow   Dobbins, 


82  Shakerism 

presumed  to  be  fictitious  to  inspire  confidence. 
Consequent  upon  practiced  shrewdness,  he 
was  advanced  to  a  high  degree,  and  in  four 
months  decamped  with  $1,500.  A  few  years 
ago  Mr.  Fennessey  received  word  that  some 
sheep  were  being  loaded  on  a  car  at  Monroe 
Station,  near  Union  Village,  and  that  they 
looked  like  the  sheep  of  the  Shaker  farm.  The 
informant  said  there  were  thirty-eight  head. 
It  happened  that  Mr.  Fennessey  had  counted 
and  marked  all  his  sheep  just  a  day  or  two 
before.  Lining  them  up,  he  discovered  that 
thirty-eight  were  missing.  Wiring  to  Cincin- 
nati to  hold  the  car  and  arrest  the  man,  pas- 
sage was  taken  for  the  Queen  City.  No  one 
appeared  during  the  entire  night,  but  at  eight 
in  the  morning  a  man  came  into  the  hotel  to 
secure  a  buyer  for  the  car  of  sheep.  He  was 
recognized  as  one  who  had  been  entertained 
recently  at  the  village.  Mr.  Fennessey's  ideas 
about  helping  other  people  to  observe  the  law 
are  somewhat  different  from  those  of  his 
predecessors.    The  man  was  arrested,  but  re- 


Shaken  sm  83 

leased  on  a  bond  of  $500,  which  he  jumped; 
but  the  sheep  came  back. 

Cattle  have  been  stolen  time  after  time  by 
the  assistance  of  some  one  on  the  inside.  In 
1890  an  official  stole  a  whole  drove,  worth 
about  $750.  He  was  captured  in  the  State 
of  Washington  and  given  a  penitentiary  sen- 
tence ;  but  the  cattle  did  not  come  back.  On 
one  of  the  farms  three  defalcations  in  ten 
years  are  recorded.  There  are  records  of 
many  fires  also.  As  if  to  vary  the  experiences 
of  the  settlement,  a  member  felt  it  his  duty 
to  burn  a  lot  of  the  buildings,  and  was  caught 
in  the  act.  There  is  a  record  of  six  burned 
buildings  in  four  years.  At  one  time  all  the 
buildings  of  the  south  family  were  reduced 
to  smoke  and  ashes.  It  is  strange  that  even 
Shakers  allowed  themselves  to  be  imposed 
upon  to  such  an  extent. 

Investing  poorly,  stealing,  defrauding, 
squandering  money,  litigation,  cheating,  are  a 
few  of  the  ways  the  Shakers  have  been  de- 
prived of  money  earned  by  constant  and  de- 
voted  industry. 


84  Shakerism 

Out  of  the  fires  of  persecution  there  came 
a  refinement  of  life.  But  no  greater  degree 
of  purity  can  atone  for  the  scores  of  animals 
that  were  burned  alive  in  the  barns  set  on 
fire  by  heartless  men,  as  cruel  as  any  who  ever 
drew  the  breath  of  life;  moreover,  the  most 
of  them  having  been  the  recipients  of  kind- 
ness at  the  hands  of  the  Shakers  themselves. 


o 

H 
O 


!  o 

c 

3 

^ 

•      ■♦-) 

•  15 

• 

• 

•  Q 

;o 

•    o 

:  a 

:  < 

'.   a" 

1             T— 1             — ^ 

-  b 

.   o 

o      . 

.  « 

a 

'.  2 

:     Q  .2 

•    M 

.    rt 

'.    >. 

•   J3 

:Q 

•  Q 

:  ^ 

•     & 

•  i-i 

'      » 

•  rt 

c 

■           *     Ci 

:  c 

:  c 

^o 

•    a 

.  0 

.      •4-> 

to 

!   iT 

.9* 

.    o 

-    a 

•      2 

a; 

.    bfi 

"u 

•    ^ 

:  Q 

*      >» 

> 

•  j5 

o 

0) 

« 

•  > 

en 

3 

•  tn 

•  3 

•  C 

•  0 

:   6 

en 
en 

en 
> 

•      O 

•  "5 

•       l-H 

1— » 

2   c 

O 

•   (ij 

bo 

•    -6 

4) 

O-ID 

4> 

•     u 

O 

JS 

'a 
o 

O   ^ 

.     O 

•  -3 

r- 

o 

> 

.      3 

.    c 

:   3 

a> 

'O  -t3 

•4-> 

w 

c 

0) 

O* 

a>    (L> 

•  ; 

_ 

c 

■<-> 

cn 
> 

be  o 

03     O 

•  6 
o 

3 
a, 

t— 1 

o 

-t-> 

Q 

» 

'c 

-M 

V 

6 

E 

12 

a 

1 
2 

O 

•ffi 

a 

.2 

1— 1 

«-H 

o 

0 

2 

^ 
^ 

-' 

a  , 

X 

4-> 
J) 

bD 

3  1 

O 

2 

(U    1 

S  ^ 

CO 

a 

en 

J3 

JS    1 

3    CO 

en    C 

3 

a 

3 

a 

■w    I 

OS 

i> 

O 

O 

c 

4> 

U    1 

"^   1 
C   1 

M     1 

^  a 

0 

4> 

O 

J3 

-a  1 

a  1 

•eg 

0 

CO 

j-T 

4-* 

(4    , 

o    u 

''S  , 

U     1 
S     1 

en  j2 

C 
0 

iJ 

C3 

3     V 

tC 

<U 

en     Wi 

•0 

^J 

t< 

73 
4> 

>." 

'rt 

0 

c 

+-> 

O 

o 

■♦J 

*c 

1) 

c 
O 

en" 
en 

bo  1 
C    1 

^  1 

3    1 

l-H 

0 

H 

en 

■T. 

CO 

§ 
03 

-i-> 

-a  u  1 

V 

•0 

C/3 

O 

< 

1 
1 

1 

< 

g 

Shaker  Covenant 

ONE  became  a  member  of  the  Spiritual 
Order  of  the  Shakers  when  he  signed 
the  regular  covenant.  This  implied 
that  the  applicant  was  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  was  willing  to  engage  in  the  communistic 
life  as  regards  property  rights,  and  to  live  in 
strict  celibacy.  Any  history  of  the  Shakers 
has  greater  value  if  their  covenant,  or  their 
constitution,  as  it  was  called,  is  understood. 
The  records  make  no  detailed  mention  of  the 
covenant  between  the  parent  society  at  New 
Lebanon  and  the  adjunct  societies  until  1829, 
at  which  time  a  general  letter  was  sent  from 
the  East,  accompanied  by  the  covenant.  This 
was  read  to  the  Shakers  at  Union  Village  on 
December  27  of  that  year,  and  on  the  last  day 
of  1829  it  was  signed  by  the  church  members. 
The  letter  recounts  the  method  God  used  in 
governing  his  people  in  Old  Testament  and 
New  Testament  times,  and  argues  from  that 
for  the  divine  appointment  of  elders  through 

87 


88  Shakerism 

representatives  as  outlined  in  chapter  one  of 
this  volume.  It  attempts  to  show  the  neces- 
sity for  elders,  deacons,  and  trustees  to  con- 
duct properly  the  spiritual  and  business  affairs 
of  the  Shaker  community.  "Divine  provi- 
dence," it  says,  *'for  wise  purposes  has  per- 
mitted all  earthly  government  in  some  way 
or  manner  to  emanate  from  the  people;  but, 
whenever  Infinite  Wisdom  has  seen  fit  to 
establish  a  spiritual  or  religious  government 
for  the  benefit  of  his  covenant  people,  it  has 
necessarily  originated  from  divine  appoint- 
ment; and  its  continuance  has  been  signally 
blessed  by  an  overruling  providence."  The 
letter  makes  claim  that  ''the  written  covenant 
is  but  a  transcript  of  the  internal  principles 
and  law  of  Christ  which  govern  and  protect 
this  society." 

This  new  covenant  of  1829  was  to  take 
the  place  of  one  signed  sixteen  years  pre- 
viously, the  necessity  for  renewal  being  seen 
in  the  "many  trying  scenes"  and  the  "much 
valuable  experience  in  things  spiritual  and 
temporal"   which   had  been   woven  into  the 


Shakerism  89 

history  of  Shakerism.  As  a  sample  of  Shaker 
logic,  and  for  better  understanding  of  Shaker 
principles  and  government,  this  renewed  cov- 
enant or  constitution  is  reproduced  in  full : 

Preamble. 
We,  the  Brethren  and  Sisters  of  the  United 
Society  of  Believers  (called  Shakers),  resid- 
ing in  the  County  of  Warren,  and  State  of 
Ohio,  being  connected  together  as  a  religious 
and  social  community,  distinguished  by  the 
name  and  title  of — The  Church  of  the  United 
Society  at  Union  Village,  which  for  many 
years  has  been  established,  and  in  successful 
operation  under  the  charge  and  protection  of 
the  Ministry  and  Eldership  thereof: — feeling 
the  importance  of  not  only  renewing  and  con- 
firming our  spiritual  covenant  with  God  and 
each  other,  but  also  of  renewing  and  improv- 
ing our  social  compact,  and  amending  the 
written  form  thereof: — do  make,  ordain  and 
declare  the  following  Articles  of  agreement 
as  a  summary  of  the  principles,  rules  and 
regulations  established  in  the  Church  of  said 
United  Society  which  are  to  be  kept  and 
maintained  by  us,  both  in  our  collective  and 
individual  capacities,  as  a  Covenant,  or  Con- 
stitution, which  shall  stand  as  a  lawful  testi- 
mony of  our  religious  Association  before  all 


90  Shakerism 

men,  and  in  all  case  of  question  in  law,  re- 
lating to  the  possession'  and  improvement  of 
our  united  and  consecrated  interest,  property 
and  estate. 

Article  I.  the  Gospel  Ministry. 
We  solemnly  declare  to  each  other  and  to 
all  whom  it  may  concern,  that  we  have  re- 
ceived, and  do  hereby  acknowledge  as  the 
foundation  of  our  faith,  Order  and  Govern- 
ment, the  testimony  or  Gospel  of  Christ,  in 
His  first  and  second  appearing;  and  we  do 
hereby  solemnly  agree  to  support  and  main- 
tain the  same  as  administered  by  the  Found- 
ers of  this  Society,  and  kept  and  conveyed 
through  a  regular  Order  of  Ministration  down 
to  the  present  day;  And  although  (as  a  re- 
ligious society)  we  are  variously  associated, 
with  respect  to  the  local  situations  of  our 
respective  Communities ;  we  are  known  and 
distinguished  as  a  peculiar  people,  and  con- 
sider and  acknowledge  ourselves  members  of 
our  general  Community,  possessing  one  faith, 
and  subject  to  the  administration  of  one 
united  and  parental  government,  which  has 
been  regularly  supported  from  the  first 
foundation  pillars  of  the  Institution,  and 
which  continues  to  operate  for  the  support, 
protection  and  strength  of  every  part  of  th^ 
Community. 


Shakerism  91 

Section  2.  Their  Order  and  Office.  We 
further  acknowledge  and  declare,  that  for  the 
purpose  of  promoting  and  maintaining  union, 
order  and  harmony  throughout  the  various 
branches  of  this  Community,  the  Primary 
authority  of  the  Institution  has  been  settled 
in  the  first  established  Ministry  at  New  Leb- 
anon, there  to  rest  and  remain  as  the  general 
center  of  union  by  all  who  stand  in  Gospel 
relation  and  communion  with  this  society.  The 
established  order  of  this  Ministry  includes 
four  persons,  two  of  each  sex. 

Section  j.  Perpetuity  of  Their  Office  and 
How  Supplied.  We  further  acknowledge  and 
declare,  that  the  aforesaid  primary  authority 
has  been,  and  is  to  be  perpetuated  as  follows, 
namely  that  the  first  in  that  office  and  calling 
possess  the  right,  by  the  sanction  of  Divine 
Authority,  given  through  the  first  Founder 
of  the  Society,  to  appoint  their  successors,  and 
to  prescribe  or  direct  any  regulation  or  ap- 
pointment which  they  may  judge  most  proper 
and  necessary  respecting  the  Ministry,  or  any 
other  important  matter  which  may  concern 
the  welfare  of  the  Church  or  Society  subse- 
quent to  their  decease. 

But  in  case  no  such  appointment  or  regula- 
tion be  so  prescribed  or  directed,  then  the 
right   to   direct   and   authorize   such   appoint- 


92  Shakerism 

ment  and  regulations  devolves  upon  the  sur- 
viving members  of  the  Ministry  in  Counsel 
with  the  Elders  of  the  Church,  and  others, 
as  the  nature  of  the  case,  in  their  judgment 
may  require.  Such  appointments  being  offi- 
cially communicated  to  all  concerned,  and  re- 
ceiving the  general  approbation  of  the  Church, 
are  confirmed  and  supported  in  the  Society. 

Section  4.  The  Ministeriat  Office  in  the 
Several  Societies  or  Communities.  We  further 
acknowledge  and  declare,  covenant  and  agree 
that  the  Ministerial  Office  and  authority  in 
any  Society  or  Community  of  our  faith,  which 
has  emanated,  or  may  emanate,  in  a  regular 
line  of  order  from  the  center  of  union  afore- 
said, is,  and  shall  be  acknowledged,  owned 
and  respected  as  the  Spiritual  and  primary 
authority,  of  such  Society  or  Community,  in 
all  matters  pertaining  to  the  Ministerial  Office. 
And  in  case  of  the  decease  or  removal  of  any 
individual  of  said  Ministry,  in  any  such  So- 
ciety, his  or  her  lot  and  place  shall  be  filled 
by  agreement  of  the  surviving  Ministers,  in 
counsel  with  the  Elders  of  the  Church  and 
others,  as  the  nature  of  the  case  may  require, 
together  with  the  knowledge  and  approbation 
of  the  Ministerial  authority  at  New  Lebanon 
aforesaid. 


Shakerism  93 

Section  5.  Pozvers  and  Duties  of  the  Min- 
istry. We  further  acknowledge  and  declare, 
that  the  Ministry  being  appointed  and  estab- 
lished as  aforesaid,  are  vested  with  the  pri- 
mary auhority  of  the  Church  and  its  various 
branches ;  hence  it  becomes  their  special  duty 
to  guide  and  superintend  the  spiritual  con- 
cerns of  the  Society,  as  a  body  of  people  un- 
der their  care  and  government ;  and  in  connec- 
tion w4th  the  Elders  in  their  respective 
families  and  departments,  who  shall  act  in 
union  with  them,  to  give  and  establish  such 
orders,  rules  and  regulations  as  may  be  found 
necessary  for  the  government  and  protection 
of  the  Church  and  Society  within  the  limits 
of  their  jurisdiction;  and  also  to  correct,  ad- 
vise and  judge  in  all  matters  of  importance, 
whether  spiritual  or  temporal.  The  said  Min- 
istry are  also  invested  with  authority,  in  con- 
nection with  the  Elders  aforesaid,  to 
nominate  and  appoint  to  office  Ministers, 
Elders,  Trustees  and  Deacons,  and  to  assign 
offices  of  care  and  trust  to  such  brethren  and 
sisters,  as  they,  the  said  Ministry  and  Elders 
shall  judge  to  be  best  qualified  for  the  several 
offices  to  which  they  may  be  appointed ; — 
And  we  hereby  covenant  and  agree  that  such 
nominations  and  appointments  being  made 
and    officially    communicated    to    those    con- 


94  Shakerism 

cerned,  and  receiving  the  general  approbation 
of  the  Church  as  aforesaid,  or  the  families 
concerned,  shall  henceforth  be  confirmed  and 
supported  until  altered  or  revoked  by  the 
authority  aforesaid. 

Article  II.    Institution  of  the  Church. 

Section  i.  The  Object  and  Design  of 
Church  Relation.  We  further  acknowledge 
and  agree,  that  the  great  object,  purpose  and 
design  of  our  uniting  together  as  a  Church 
or  body  of  people  in  social  and  religious  com- 
pact, is,  faithfully  and  honestly  to  occupy 
and  improve  the  various  gifts  and  talents, 
both  of  a  spiritual  and  temporal  nature,  with 
which  Divine  Wisdom  has  blest  us,  for  the 
service  of  God,  for  the  honor  of  the  Gospel, 
and  for  the  mutual  protection,  support,  and 
happiness  of  each  other,  as  Brethren  and 
Sisters  in  the  Gospel,  and  for  such  other  pious 
and  charitable  purposes  as  the  Gospel  may 
require. 

Section  2.  Who  Are  Not  Admissible  Into 
Church  Relation.  As  the  unity,  purity,  and 
stability  of  the  Church,  essentially  depend  on 
the  character  and  qualifications  of  its  mem- 
bers; and  as  it  is  a  matter  of  importance  that 
it  should  not  be  encumbered  with  persons  not 
duly  qualified  for  that  distinguished  relation: 
- — therefore,  we  agree,  that  no  member  of  any 


Shakerism  95 

company  or  association  in  business  or  civil 
concern ;  no  copartner  in  trade ;  no  person  un- 
der any  legal  involvement  or  obligations  of 
service;  no  slave  nor  slave-holder,  shall  be 
deemed  qualified  for  admission  into  the  coven- 
ant relation  and  communion  of  the  Church. 

Section  5.  Preparation  for  Admission  into 
the  Church.  In  order  that  Believers  may  be 
prepared  for  entering  into  the  sacred  privilege 
of  Church  relation,  it  is  of  primary  importance 
that  sufficient  opportunity  and  privilege  should 
be  afforded  under  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel, 
for  them  to  acquire  suitable  instruction  in 
the  genuine  principles  of  righteousness,  hon- 
esty, justice  and  holiness;  and  also  that  they 
should  prove  their  faith  and  Christian  moral- 
ity by  their  practical  obedience  to  the  precept 
of  the  Gospel,  according  to  their  instructions. 
It  is  also  indispensably  necessary  for  them  to 
receive  the  uniting  Spirit  of  Christ  and  to  be 
so  far  of  one  heart  and  mind,  that  they  are 
willing  to  sacrifice  all  other  relations  for  this 
sacred  one.  Another  essential  step  is,  to  settle 
all  just  and  equitable  claims  of  creditors  and 
filial  heirs;  so  that  whatever  property  they 
possess  may  be  justly  their  own.  When  this 
is  done,  and  they  feel  themselves  sufficiently 
prepared  to  make  a  deliberate  and  final  choice 
to  devote  themselves  wholly,  to  the  service  of 


96  Shakerism 

.  God,  without  reserve,  and  it  shall  be  deemed 
proper  by  the  leading  authority  of  Church, 
after  examination  and  due  consideration,  to 
allow  them  to  associate  together  in  the 
capacity  of  a  church,  or  a  branch  thereof  in 
Gospel  order ;  they  may  then  consecrate  them- 
selves, and  all  they  possess,  to  the  service  of 
God  forever  and  confirm  the  same  by  signing 
a  written  Covenant,  predicated  upon  the  prin- 
ciples herein  contained,  and  by  fulfilling  on 
their  part,  all  its  obligations. 

Section  4.  Admission  of  New  Members. 
As  the  door  must  be  kept  open  for  the  admis- 
sion of  new  members  into  the  Church,  when 
duly  prepared,  it  is  agreed  that  each  and  every 
person  who  shall  at  any  time  after  the  date 
and  execution  of  the  Church  Covenant,  in  any 
branch  of  the  Community,  be  admitted  into  the 
Church,  as  a  member  thereof,  shall  previously 
have  a  first  opportunity  to  obtain  a  full,  clear 
and  explicit  understanding  of  the  object  and 
design  of  the  Church  Covenant,  and  of  the 
obligations  it  enjoins  on  its  members.  For 
this  purpose  he  or  she  shall,  in  the  presence  of 
two  of  the  deacons,  or  acting  Trustees  of  the 
Church,  read  said  Covenant  or  hear  the  same 
distinctly  read;  so  as  to  be  able,  freely,  to 
acknowledge  his  full  approbation  and  accept- 
ance thereof,  in  all  its  parts.     Then,  he,  she, 


Shakerism  97 

or  they,  as  the  case  may  be,  shall  be  at  liberty 
to  sign  the  same  and  having  signed  and  sealed 
it,  shall  thenceforth  be  entitled  to  all  the  bene- 
fits and  privileges  thereof,  and  be  subject  to  all 
the  obligations  required  of  the  original 
signers :  And  the  signature  or  signatures  thus 
added,  shall  be  certified  by  the  said  Deacons 
or  Trustees,  with  the  date  thereof. 

Section  5.  Concerning  Youth  and  Children. 
Youth  and  children,  being  minors,  cannot  be 
received  as  members  of  the  Church,  in  its 
Covenant  relation;  yet  it  is  agreed  that  they 
may  be  received  under  the  immediate  care 
and  government  of  the  Church,  at  the  desire 
or  consent  of  such  person  or  persons  as  have 
lawful  right  to,  or  control  of,  such  minors, 
together  with  their  own  desire  or  consent  but 
no  minor  under  the  care  of  the  Church  can 
be  employed  therein  for  wages  of  any  kind. 

Article  III.  The  Trusteeship. 
Section  i.  Appointment,  Qualifications  and 
Powers  of  the  Trustees.  In  the  establishment 
of  orders  in  the  various  branches  of  the  So- 
ciety, it  has  been  found  necessary  that  super- 
intending Deacons  or  agents  should  be  ap- 
pointed and  authorized  to  act  as  Trustees  of 
the  temporalities  of  the  Church.  Deaconesses 
are  also  associated  with  them  to  superintend 
the  concerns  of  the  female  department.    They 


98  Shakerism 

must  be  recommended  by  their  honesty  and 
integrity,  their  fidelity  and  trust,  and  their 
capacity  for  business.  Of  these  quaUfications 
the  Ministry  and  Elders  must  be  the  judges. 
These  Trustees  are  generally  known  among 
us  by  the  title  of  Office  Deacons,  and  being 
appointed  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  and 
supported  by  the  general  approbation  of  the 
Church,  they  are  vested  with  power  to  take 
the  general  charge  and  oversight  of  all  the 
property,  estate,  and  interest,  dedicated,  de- 
volved, consecrated  and  given  up  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  Church ;  to  hold,  in  trust,  the  fee  of 
all  lands  belonging  to  the  Church;  together 
with  all  the  gifts,  grants,  and  donations,  which 
have  been,  or  may  be  hereafter  dedicated, 
devoted,  consecrated  and  given  up  as  afore- 
said; and  the  said  property,  estate,  interest, 
gifts,  grants  and  donations,  shall  constitute 
the  united  and  consecrated  interest  of  the 
Church,  shall  be  held  in  trust  by  said  Deacons 
as  acting  Trustees — in  their  official  capacity, 
and  by  their  successors  in  said  office  and  trust 
forever. 

Section  2.  Duties  of  the  Trustees.  It  is 
and  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  said  Deacons  or 
acting  Trustees  to  improve,  use  and  appro- 
priate the  said  united  interest  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Church  in  all  its  departments,  and  for 


Shakerism  99 

such  other  religious  and  charitable  purposes 
as  the  Gospel  may  require;  and  also  to  make 
all  just  and  equitable  defense  in  law,  for  the 
protection  and  security  of  the  consecrated  and 
united  interest,  rights  and  privileges  of  the 
Church  and  Society  jointly  and  severally,  as  an 
associated  Community,  as  far  as  circumstances, 
and  the  nature  of  the  case  may  require.  Pro- 
vided nevertheless,  that  all  the  transactions 
of  the  said  Trustees,  in  the  use,  management, 
protection,  defence  and  disposal  of  the  afore- 
said interest,  shall  be  for  the  benefit  and 
privilege,  and  in  behalf  of  the  Church  or  of 
the  Society  as  aforesaid,  and  not  for  any  pri- 
vate interest,  object,  or  purpose  whatever. 

Section  j.  Trustees  to  Give  Information 
and  Be  Responsible  to  Ministry  and  Elders. 
It  shall  also  be  the  duty  of  the  said  Trustees 
to  give  information  to  the  Ministry  and  Elders 
of  the  Church,  concerning  the  general  state 
of  the  temporal  concerns  of  the  Church  and 
Society  committed  to  their  charge;  and  to 
report  to  said  authority  all  losses  sustained  in 
the  united  interest  thereof,  which  shall  come 
under  their  cognizance;  and  no  disposal  of  the 
real  estate  of  the  Church,  nor  any  important 
interest,  involving  the  association  in  any  man- 
ner, shall  be  made  without  the  previous 
knowledge   and   approbation   of   the  Ministry 


100  Shakerism 

aforesaid;  to  whom  the  said  Deacons  or 
Trustees  are,  and  shall  at  all  times  be  held 
responsible  in  all  their  transactions. 

Section  4.  Account  Books  and  Books  of 
Record  to  he  Kept.  It  is,  and  shall  be  the 
duty  of  the  said  Trustees  or  Official  Deacons 
to  keep,  or  cause  to  be  kept,  regular  books  of 
account,  in  which  shall  be  entered  the  debit 
and  credit  accounts  of  all  mercantile  opera- 
tions and  business  transactions  between  the 
Church  and  others;  all  receipts  and  expendi- 
tures, bonds,  notes,  and  bills  of  account,  and 
all  matters  pertaining  to  the  united  interest 
of  the  Church;  so  that  its  financial  concerns 
may  be  readily  seen  and  known  whenever 
called  for  by  the  proper  authority; — and  also, 
a  book  or  books  of  record,  in  which  shall  be 
recorded  a  true  and  correct  copy  of  this 
Covenant;  also  all  appointments,  removals 
and  changes  in  office  of  Ministers,  Elders, 
Deacons  and  Trustees;  all  admissions,  re- 
movals, decease  and  departure  of  members; 
together  with  all  other  matters  and  transac- 
tions of  a  public  nature  which  are  necessary 
to  be  recorded  for  the  benefit  of  the  Church, 
and  for  the  preservation  and  security  of  the 
documents,  papers  and  written  instruments 
pertaining  to  the  united  interest  and  concerns 
of    the   Church,    committed   to   their   charge. 


Shakerism  101 

And  the  said  records  shall,  at  all  times,  be 
open  to  the  inspection  of  the  leading  author- 
ity of  the  Church,  who  shall  appoint  an  audi- 
tor or  auditors  to  examine  and  correct  any 
errors  that  may,  at  any  time  be  found  in  the 
accounts,  and  whose  signature  and  date  of  in- 
spection shall  be  deemed  sufficient  authority 
for  the  correctness  and  validity  of  the  facts 
and  matters,  therein  recorded. 

Section  5.  Trustees  to  Execute  a  Declara- 
tion or  Trust.  For  the  better  security  of  the 
united  and  consecrated  interest  of  the  Church 
to  the  proper  uses  and  purposes  stipulated  in 
the  Covenant,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Trus- 
tees who  may  be  vested  with  the  lawful  title 
or  claim  to  the  real  estate  of  the  Church,  to 
make  and  execute  a  declaration  of  Trust,  in 
due  form  of  law,  embracing  all  and  singular, 
the  lands,  tenements  and  hereditaments,  with 
every  matter  of  interest  pertaining  to  the 
Church,  which,  at  the  time  being,  may  be 
vested  in  him  or  them  or  that  may  in  future 
come  under  his  or  their  charge,  during  his  or 
their  Trusteeship.  The  said  Declaration  shall 
state  expressly,  that  such  Trustee  or  Trustees 
hold  such  lands,  tenements,  hereditaments 
and  all  personal  property  of  every  description, 
belonging  to  the  Church  or  Society,  in  Trust, 
for  the  uses  and  purposes  expressed  in,  and 


102  Shakerism 

■  subject  to  the  rules,  .regulations  and  condi- 
tions prescribed  By  the  Covenant  or  Constitu- 
tion of  the  said  Church,  or  any  amendments 
thereto  which  may  hereafter  be  adopted  by 
the  general  approbation  of  the  Church,  and 
in  conformity  to  the  primitive  facts  and 
acknowledged  principles  of  the  Society;  and 
the  said  declaration  shall  be  in  writing,  duly 
executed  under  the  hand  and  seal  of  such 
Trustee  or  Trustees,  and  shall  be  recorded  in 
the  Book  of  Records,  provided  for  in  the 
preceding  section. 

Section  6.  Vacancies  in  Certain  Cases  How 
Supplied.  We  further  covenant  and  agree, 
that  in  case  it  should  at  any  time  happen  that 
the  office  of  Trustee  should  become  vacant, 
by  the  death  or  defection  of  all  of  the  Trus- 
tees in  whom  may  be  vested  the  fee  of  the 
lands  or  real  estate  belonging  to  said  Church 
or  Society,  then,  and  in  that  case,  a  successor 
or  successors  shall  be  appointed  by  the  con- 
stitutional authority  recognized  in  the  coven- 
ant, according  to  the  rules  and  regulations 
prescribed  by  the  same; — and  the  said  ap- 
pointment, being  duly  recorded  in  the  Book  of 
Records  provided  for  in  this  Article,  shall  be 
deemed,  and  is  hereby  declared  to  vest  in  such 
successors,  all  the  right,  interest  and  Authority 
of  his  or  their  predecessors  in  respect  to  all 


Shakerism  103 

such   lands,   property   or   estate   belonging   to 
the  Church  or  Society  aforesaid. 

Article  IV.      The  Eldership. 

Section  i.  Choice  and  Appointment  of 
Elders.  The  united  interests  and  objects  of 
Believers  established  in  Gospel  order,  requires 
that  Elders  should  be  chosen  and  appointed 
for  the  spiritual  protection  of  families,  who 
are  to  take  the  lead  in  their  several  depart- 
ments, in  the  care  and  government  of  the  con- 
cerns of  the  Church,  and  of  the  several  families 
pertaining  to  the  Society.  Their  number  and 
order  should  correspond  with  that  of  the  Min- 
istry. They  are  required  to  be  persons  of 
good  understanding,  of  approved  faithfulness 
and  integrity,  and  gifted  in  spiritual  adminis- 
tration. They  must  be  selected  and  appointed 
by  the  Ministry,  who  are  to  judge  of  their 
qualifications. 

Section  2.  Duties  of  the  Elders.  As  faith- 
ful Watchmen  on  the  walls  of  Zion,  it  be- 
comes the  duty  of  the  Elders  to  watch  over 
their  respective  families,  to  instruct  the  mem- 
bers in  their  respective  duties ; — to  counsel,  en- 
courage, admonish,  exhort  and  reprove,  as 
occasion  may  require ;  to  lead  the  worship ;  to 
be  examples  to  the  members  of  obedience  to 
the  principles  and  orders  of  the  Gospel,  and 
to  see  that  orders,  rules  and  regulations  per- 


104  Shakerism 

taining  to  their  respective  families  or  depart- 
ments are  properly  kept. 

Article  V.     Family  Deacons  and 
Deaconesses. 

The  office  of  family  Deacons  and  Dea- 
conesses has  long  been  established  in  the 
Church,  and  is  essentially  necessary  for  the 
care,  management  and  direction  of  the  domes- 
tic concerns  in  each  family,  order  or  branch 
of  the  Church.  They  are  required  to  be  per- 
sons of  correct  and  well  grounded  faith  in 
the  established  principles  of  the  Gospel ;  hon- 
est and  faithful  in  duty,  closely  united  to  their 
Elders,  and  of  sufficient  capacity  for  business. 
Of  these  qualifications  the  Ministry  and 
Elders,  by  whom  they  are  chosen  and  ap- 
appointed  are  to  be  the  judges.  Their  num- 
bers in  each  family  is  generally  two  of  each 
sex,  but  may  be  more  or  less,  according  to  the 
size  of  the  family  and  the  extent  of  their 
various  duties. 

Section  2.  Their  Duties  and  Obligations. 
The  Deacons  and  Deaconesses  of  families  are 
entrusted  with  the  care  and  oversight  of  the 
domestic  concerns  of  their  respective  families. 
It  is  their  duty  to  make  proper  arrangements 
in  business ;  to  maintain  good  order ;  to  watch 
over  and  counsel  and  direct  the  members  in 
their    various    occupations,    as   occasion    may 


Shakerism  105 

require ;  to  make  application  to  the  Office 
Deacons  for  whatever  supphes  are  needed  in 
the  several  departments  of  the  family;  to 
maintain  union,  harmony  and  good  under- 
standing with  the  said  Office  Deacons  and 
Deaconesses ;  and  to  report  to  their  Elders,  the 
state  of  matters  which  fall  under  their  cogniz- 
ance and  observation.  But  their  power  is 
restricted  to  the  domestic  concerns  of  their  re- 
spective families  or  departments,  and  does  not 
extend  to  any  immediate  or  direct  corre- 
spondence or  intercourse  with  those  without 
the  bounds  of  the  Church :  They  have  no  im- 
mediate concern  with  trade  and  commerce ;  it 
is  not  their  business  to  buy  and  sell,  nor  in  any 
way  to  dispose  of  the  property  under  their 
care,  except  with  the  union  and  approbation 
of  the  Trustees. 

Article   VI.    Privileges  and  Obligations 
OF  Members. 

Section  i.  Benefits  and  Privileges  of  Mem- 
bers in  Church  Relation.  The  united  interest 
of  the  Church  having  been  formed  by  the 
free-will  offerings  and  pious  donations  of  the 
members  respectively,  for  the  objects  and  pur- 
poses already  stated,  it  cannot  be  considered 
either  as  a  joint  tenancy  or  a  tenancy  in  com- 
mon, but  a  consecrated  whole,  designed  for, 
and  devoted  to  the  uses  and  purposes  of  the 


106  Shakerism 

Gospel   forever,   agreeable  to  the  established 
principles  of  the  Church; — 

Therefore,  it  shall  be  held,  possessed  and 
enjoyed  by  the  Church  in  this  united  capacity, 
as  a  sacred  covenant  right;  that  is  to  say,  all, 
and  every  member  thereof,  while  standing  in 
Gospel  union,  and  maintaining  the  principles 
of  the  Covenant,  shall  enjoy  equal  rights, 
benefits,  and  privileges,  in  the  use  of  all  things 
pertaining  to  the  Church,  according  to  their 
several  needs  and  circumstances,  and  no  differ- 
ence shall  be  made  on  account  of  what  any- 
one has  contributed  and  devoted,  or  may  here- 
after contribute  and  devote,  to  the  support 
and  benefit  of  the  institution. 

Section  2.  Proviso.  It  is  nevertheless  Pro- 
vided, Stipulated  and  Agreed,  that  in  case  any 
one,  having  signed  this  Covenant,  shall  after- 
ward forfeit  his  or  her  claim  to  membership, 
by  renouncing  the  principles  of  the  Society, 
or  by  wilfully  and  obstinately  violating  the 
rules  and  regulations  thereof,  then,  and  in  that 
case,  his  or  her  claims  to  all  the  aforesaid 
benefits,  privileges  and  enjoyments,  shall  be 
equally  forfeited. 

Section  j.  Obligations  of  Members.  As 
subordination  and  obedience  are  the  life  and 
soul  of  a  well  regulated  community ;  so,  our 
strength    and    protection,   our   happiness    and 


Shakerism  107 

prosperity,  in  our  capacity  of  Church  mem- 
bers, must  depend  on  our  faithful  obedience 
to  the  rules  and  orders  of  the  Church,  and  to 
the  instruction,  counsel  and  advice  of  its 
leaders :  Therefore,  we  do  hereby  covenant 
and  agree,  that  we  will  receive  and  acknowl- 
edge our  Elders  in  the  Gospel,  those  members 
of  the  Church,  who  are,  or  shall  be  chosen 
and  appointed  for  the  same  time  being,  to  that 
office  and  calling,  by  the  authority  aforesaid; 
and  also,  that  we  will,  as  faithful  Brethren 
and  Sisters  in  Christ,  conform  and  subject  to 
the  known  and  established  principles  of  our 
Community  and  to  the  counsel  and  direction 
of  the  Elders,  who  shall  act  in  union  as  afore- 
said and  also  to  all  the  orders,  rules  and  regu- 
lations which,  now  are,  or  which  may  be  given 
and  established  in  the  Church,  according  to 
the  principles,  and  by  the  authority  aforesaid. 

Section  4.  Duties  of  the  Members.  The 
faithful  improvement  of  our  time  and  talents 
in  doing  good,  is  a  duty  which  God  requires 
of  mankind  as  rational  and  accountable  be- 
ings, and  more  especially  as  members  of  the 
Church  of  Christ — therefore  it  is,  and  will  be 
required  of  all  and  every  member  of  this  In- 
stitution, unitedly  and  individually,  to  occupy 
and  improve  their  time  and  talents  to  support 
and  maintain  the  interest  of  the  same,  to  pro- 


108  Shakerism 

mote  the  objects  of  this  Covenant,  and  dis- 
charge their  duty  to  God  and  each  other,  ac- 
cording to  their  several  abihties  and  calhngs, 
as  members  in  union  with  one  common  lead ; 
so  that  the  various  gifts  and  talents  of  All 
may  be  improved  for  the  benefit  of  Each  and 
all  concerned. 

Section  5.  No  Special  Claims  in  Case  of 
Removal  As  we  esteem  the  mutual  posses- 
sion and  enjoyment  of  the  consecrated 
interest  and  principles  of  the  Church,  a  con- 
sideration fully  adequate  to  any  amount  of 
personal  interest,  labor  or  service,  or  any  other 
contribution  made,  devoted  or  consecrated  by 
an  individual ; — so  we  consider  that  no  ground 
of  action  can  lie,  either  in  law  or  equity,  for 
the  recovery  of  any  property,  or  service,  de- 
voted, or  consecrated  as  aforesaid.  And  we 
further  agree,  that  in  case  of  the  removal  of 
any  member  or  members  from  one  family, 
society  or  branch  of  the  Church  to  another, 
his,  her,  or  their  pervious  signature  or  signa- 
tures to  the  Church  or  family  Covenant  from 
whence  he,  she,  or  they,  shall  have  removed, 
shall  forever  bar  all  claims  which  are  incom- 
patible with  the  true  intent  and  meaning  of 
this  Covenant,  in  the  same  manner  as  if  such 
removal  had  not  taken  place ;  yet,  all  who  shall 
so  remove  in  union,  and  with  the  approbation 


Shakerism  109 

of  their  Elders  shall  be  entitled  to  all  the 
benefits  and  privileges  of  the  family  or  order 
in  which  they  shall  be  placed,  as  they  shall 
conform  to  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the 
same. 
Article  VII.     Dedication  and  Release. 

Section  i.  Dedication  of  Persons,  Services 
and  Property.  According  to  the  faith  of  the 
Gospel  which  we  have  received,  and  agree- 
ment to  the  uniform  practice  of  the  Church 
of  Christ  from  its  first  establishment  in  the 
Society.  We  covenant  and  agree  to  dedicate, 
devote  and  consecrate  and  give  up,  and  by  this 
Covenant  we  do  solemnly  and  conscientiously 
dedicate,  devote,  consecrate  and  give  up  our- 
selves and  our  services,  together  with  all  our 
temporal  interest,  to  the  service  of  God  and 
the  support  and  benefit  of  the  Church  of 
Christ  in  this  Community,  and  to  such  other 
pious  and  charitable  purposes  as  the  Gospel 
may  require,  to  be  under  the  care  and  direc- 
tion of  the  proper  constituted  authorities  of 
the  said  Church,  according  to  the  true  mean- 
ing and  intent  of  the  Covenant,  and  the  estab- 
lished rules  and  practice  of  the  Church. 

Section  2.  Declaration  and  Release  of  Pri- 
vate Claim.  Whereas,  in  pursuance  of  the  re- 
quirements of  the  Gospel,  and  in  the  full 
exercise  of  our  faith,  reason  and  understand- 


1 10  Shakerism 

ing,  we  have  freely  and  voluntarily  sacrificed 
all  self-interest,  and  .have  devoted  our  per- 
sons, services  and  our  property  as  aforesaid, 
to  the  pious  and  benevolent  purposes  of  the 
Gospel ; — Therefore,  we  do  hereby  solemnly, 
and  conscientiously,  unitedly  and  individually, 
for  ourselves,  our  heirs  and  assigns,  release 
and  quit-claim  to  the  Deacons,  or  those  who, 
for  the  time  being,  are  the  acting  Trustees  of 
the  Church,  for  the  uses  and  purposes  afore- 
said. All  our  private  personal  right,  title,  in- 
terest, claim  and  demand,  of,  in  and  to  the 
estate,  interest,  property  and  appurtenances  so 
consecrated,  devoted,  and  given  up:  And  we 
hereby  jointly  and  severally  promise  and  de- 
clare, in  the  presence  of  God  and  before  wit- 
nesses that  we  will  never  hereafter,  neither 
directly  nor  indirectly,  under  any  circum- 
stances whatever,  contrary  to  the  stipulations 
of  this  Covenant,  make  or  require  any  account 
of  any  interest,  property,  labor  or  service,  nor 
any  division  thereof,  which  is,  has  been  or 
may  be  devoted  by  us,  or  any  of  us,  to  the 
uses  and  purposes  aforesaid,  nor  bring  any 
charge  of  debt  or  damage,  nor  hold  any  claim, 
nor  demand  whatever,  against  the  said  Dea- 
cons or  Trustees,  nor  against  the  Church  or 
Society,  nor  against  any  member  thereof,  on 
account    of    any    property    or    service    given, 


Shakerism  111 

rendered,  devoted  or  consecrated  to  the  afore- 
said sacred  charitable  purposes.  And  we  also 
ratify  and  confirm  hereby,  every  act  and  deed 
which  we,  or  any  of  us,  have  acted  or  done 
agreeable  to  the  true  intent  and  mean  of  the 
Covenant. 

In  confirmation  of  all  the  aforesaid  state- 
ments, covenants,  promises  and  articles  of 
agreement,  we  have  hereunto  subscribed  our 
names  and  affixed  our  seals,  on  and  after  this 
twenty-seventh  day  of  April,  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  and  Savior — one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  forty-one. 


o 

H 

O 
Q 


O 


-a 

c 


■«-> 

U 

O 


o 

O 

o 
>. 

Q 

c3 

(U 

C 

oT 

o   ^ 
■»-'     c3 

-^   -^3 

V-     03 

be    '-> 
rt     O 


0) 

6 
o 


?i  ON 


^  c 

ni 

a> 

rt 
C 
(d 

a 

u 

O 

c 

0) 

J5 

■4-> 

4> 

-a 

■*-» 

c 


o. 


X5 

en 

> 
O 

03 


03 


On 


« 


c 
O 


0\ 


o  15 


o 

o 


03 

Q 


c 
o 

•♦-> 

Q 

cj 

a; 

C 

(u" 
bO 
03 


> 

o 
'c 

ID 


B 
o 

c 

bX) 
o    rt 


c 

l-l 

Si 


u    u 

t/3    CO 


Q 


03     ^ 


03 

o 


•T3 


O 
O 
U3 


< 


Shaker  Decadence 

THERE  is  a  manifest  quickening  of  the 
pace  toward  the  Shaker  cemetery, 
and  one  must  feel  a  touch  of  sadness 
as  he  sees  these  God-fearing  people  disappear- 
ing as  a  religious  sect.  They  have  been  honest 
and  straightforward  in  their  methods,  trust- 
ful to  a  degree  injurious  to  themselves,  and 
credulous  beyond  reason.  They  have  given 
up  all  personal  property  for  a  peculiar  form 
of  communism.  Their  mode  of  address  is  by 
given  name,  with  prefix  of  Sister  or  Brother. 
The  views  of  the  world  are  against  this  form 
of  government,  particularly  since  the  rule  of 
separation  of  the  sexes  remains.  When  the 
writer  first  visited  Union  Village,  the  family 
consisted  of  twenty-six  persons.  None  have 
been  received  since  that  date,  and  nine  of  that 
number  have  passed  to  the  great  beyond. 
Time  is  ruthless  in  its  effect,  and  disease, 
though  having  great  respect   for  the  upright 

115 


116  Shakerism 

Shaker  life,  finally  reaches  its  desired  mark 
and  transfers  one  more  human  body  back  to 
mother  earth.  A  society  which  spends  itself 
and  does  not  recuperate  can  have  but  one  end. 
Although  the  time  of  dissolution  may  be  con- 
tingent, the  fact  is  certain. 

Shaker  communities  began  to  decline  about 
sixty  years  ago,  and  have  continued  steadily. 
The  time  was  shortened  by  the  frequent  back- 
slidings  of  members,  and  their  return  to  what 
the  faithful  called  "the  world."  Some  of  the 
societies  have  kept  pretty  accurate  journals  of 
the  accessions  and  losses  of  members,  which 
combine  the  pathetic  with  the  humorous. 
Some  typical  entries  in  the  records  of  the 
Watervliet  Society,  of  Ohio,  are  copied  for 
the  year  1857,  omitting  the  month  and  day. 
The  spelling  and  punctuation  appear  as  here 
given.  These  brief  notations  suggest  one 
cause  of  the  decline  in  numbers : 

''Eliza  Welchammer  went  to  the  world,  tak- 
ing her  five  children,  and  Peters'  child." 
"Martha  Parker  turned  oft*  to  the  world." 
"John    McDaniel   turned   oft   to   the   world." 


Shakerism  117 

"John  Short,  Henry  and  George  Grub  ran  off 
to  the  world."  "George  Grub  came  back  and 
obtained  another  privilege."  "George  Graham 
turned  off  to  the  world."  "William  Boswell 
went  to  the  world."  "Godlib  Alyers  and  his 
family  moved  away,  to  the  great  joy  of  us 
all."  "Martha  Harris  turned  off  to  the  world ; 
but  received  back  in  three  months."  "Rich- 
ard jMurphy  went  to  the  world  having  two 
privileges,  he  coveted  and  took." 

"John  Carrol  came  with  a  wagon  and  took 
his  wife  and  three  children  away."  "Joseph 
and  Lydia  Ann  Stoker  was  taken  away  by 
their  parents."  "Mary  Carrol  came  and  took 
her  two  girls,  first  of  May."  "William  Harris 
or  Barret,  came  and  obtained  a  privilege,  and 
on  the  eighteenth  he  went  off.  We  consid- 
ered him  not  a  fit  subject  about  twelve  years 
old."  "William  and  Joseph  Edmonds  went  to 
the  world.  George  Grubs  and  Charles  Shorts 
going  along."  "Emma  Jane  and  Frances  Vir- 
ginia McNichols  (four  and  six  years  old) 
were  bound  to  us  by  their  mother,  the  last 
day  of  June   1857."     "Elder   Sister  Adaline, 


118  Shakerism 

and  David  Eastwood,  bro't  home  from  the 
Dayton  poorhouse  two  boys,  viz.,  Washington 
Montgomery  and  Stephen  Martin,  the  first 
twelve  and  the  other  four  years  old."  "Thomas 
Williams  and  Elder  Sister  Adaline,  bro't 
home  from  Xeny  poorhouse  two  boys,  and  a 
girl,  the  oldest  thirteen  years,  Name  Howard 
Ransbottom,  youngest  boy  four  years  old, 
Name  Stephen  Martin  and  a  girl  seven  years 
old.  Name  Clarry  Dore  Stephenson." 

"John  Thompson  and  William  Williams 
went  to  the  world."  "McClothing  James, 
came  here ;  James  got  sore  eyes  and  went  to 
get  them  cured."  "Diana  Morehouse  came 
here,  and  set  out  (Irish),  fifty-eight  years 
old."  "William  Hinch  ran  away  to  his  mother 
in  Dayton."  "Washington  Montgomery  was 
taken  back  to  the  poorhouse  (thief)."  "Wal- 
ter Vann,  and  Ann  his  wife,  with  their  two 
girls  by  the  name  of  Anna  M.,  came  here 
from  Philadelphia  to  be  believers."  "Richard 
Wilson  (coulered)  and  coulered  girls  by  the 
name  of  Martha  and  Sophrona  Melone,  aged 
and  thirteen  years,  these  girls  were  adopted 


Shakerism  119 

into  his  family,  and  he  gave  them  to  us  to 
bring  up." 

"Barney  Rourka  set  out,  he  is  Irish,  thirty- 
one  years  old,  shoemaker,  gone  to  the  world." 
''George  Smith  (Typesetter)  backed  out  De- 
cember 9th."  "Lucy  Lemons  was  kindly  in- 
vited to  go  to  the  world.  She  went."  "Lydia 
Ann  Edmonds  was  taken  to  her  mother 
(sister  to  William)."  "Boy  by  the  name  of 
William  Green,  two  years  old,  without  father 
or  mother;  he  united."  "Englishman  by  the 
name  of  Robert  Wilson  united,  turned  off 
soon."  "Henry  Bankman,  German,  sixty-six 
years  old,  he  united."  "Mary  Elizabeth  Ryley 
was  taken  to  the  world."  "Ambagini  Harris 
went  to  the  world." 

The  influence  of  such  men  as  Richard 
Realf  was  not  conducive  to  the  upbuilding  of 
Shakerism.  Realf  had  been  secretary  to  John 
Brown  during  the  latter's  trouble  in  Kansas. 
He  became  a  Shaker  at  Union  Village  in  1859. 
While  in  Kansas  he  had  undergone  much  suf- 
fering in  helping  Brown  to  establish  freedom, 
and  often  was  in  great  danger.  Oliver  Hamp- 


120  Shakerism 

"ton,  noticed  before  as  a  leader  in  Shaker 
spiritualism,  says  that  Realf  announced  him- 
self as  weary  of  the  world  and  desirous  of 
rest.  He  possessed  unusual  abilities,  and  was 
favored  by  the  Shakers  so  that  he  might 
rapidly  learn  their  principles  and  ways.  Soon 
he  became  the  greatest  preacher  ever  con- 
nected with  Union  Village,  and  both  believers 
and  unbelievers  listened  to  him  with  delight. 
However,  his  period  was  brief,  for  he  longed 
for  the  ways  of  the  world,  and  became  a 
major  during  the  Civil  War.  Hampton  says 
that  he  became  entangled  by  the  wiles  of  a 
woman  and  committed   suicide. 

But  the  chief  seeds  of  Shaker  decadence 
must  be  looked  for  within  its  own  peculiar 
doctrine.  Without  any  apostasy,  without  any 
outside  oppression,  this  form  of  communism 
must  have  an  end.  That  some  leaders  have  lost 
faith  in  the  chief  economic  principles  and 
tenets  of  Shakerism  is  shown  by  the  scarcity 
of  political  socialists  among  the  present  mem- 
bership. The  world  never  has  seen  a  better 
display  of  the  good  parts  of  socialism,  com- 


Shakerism  121 

bined  with  an  absence  of  its  bad  features. 
Naturally  speaking,  the  Shakers  would  vote 
the  Socialist  ticket  if  anybody  would ;  but  not 
so  when  election  day  comes. 

Money  does  not  insure  the  success  of  a 
communistic  order.  Although  Union  Village 
was  involved  heavily  in  debt  when  Mr.  James 
H.  Fennessey  took  active  charge,  all  that  has 
been  paid,  the  members  maintained  in  splendid 
style,  and  over  a  hundred  thousand  dollars 
accumulated  in  stocks  and  bonds  and  other 
securities  now  in  one  of  the  Lebanon  banks. 
Money  is  absolutely  no  object  with  the  Union 
Village  Shakers,  for  they  have  more  of  it 
than  they  can  use  during  their  lifetime,  even 
though  they  should  supply  every  need  more 
than  a  dozen  times. 

When  years  crept  on  and  strength  dimin- 
ished, Union  Village  farms  were  leased  to 
tenants.  For  from  ten  to  twenty  years  the 
lands  have  been  farmed  on  the  halves,  subject 
to  all  the  changes  and  most  of  the  indignities 
to  which  rented  land  is  heir.  For  eighteen 
rnonths  the  entire  estate  was  in  the  hands  of 


122  Shakerism 

a  receiver,  Judge  J.  A,  Runyan,  of  Lebanon; 
not  because  the  farms  were  involved,  but  be- 
cause the  Shakers  did  not  have  sufficient 
strength  to  care  for  them  longer.  This  re- 
ceivership was  lifted  in  the  autumn  of  1911, 
and  Mr.  Fennessey  again  assumed  control, 
which  position  he  holds  until  the  transfer  of 
the  property  is  made  to  the  United  Brethren 
Church.  Because  the  local  Shakers  were  un- 
able to  care  for  the  farm  longer,  because 
there  was  no  prospect  of  increasing  the  num- 
ber by  securing  new  members,  because  the 
question  of  suitable  tenants  is  becoming  more 
and  more  an  unsolved  problem,  and  because 
of  the  difficulty  of  farming  the  land  from  the 
parent  society  at  New  Lebanon,  it  was  thought 
best  to  dispose  of  this  estate.  An  item  in  an 
evening  paper  in  the  autumn  of  1909,  sug- 
gesting that  the  Shaker  farm  might  pass  into 
other  hands,  led  to  the  conception  of  securing 
it  for  orphanage  and  home  purposes  for  the 
United  Brethren  Church.  The  way  was 
opened  for  this  possibility  by  the  long  resi- 
dence there  of  Miss  Liddell,  and  by  the  fact 


Shakerism  123 

that  her  nephew,  ^Ir.  Granville  Hixson,  was 
a  member  of  the  First  United  Brethren 
church  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  by  the  further 
fact  that  he  visited  Shakertown  every  year, 
and  stood  high  in  the  favor  of  its  members. 
Had  it  not  been  for  these  two  living  links, 
there  is  little  human  probability  that  negotia- 
tions would  have  been  entered  upon  to  secure 
this  estate. 

Dr.  W.  R.  Funk,  because  of  his  recognized 
business  ability  and  his  standing  in  the  busi- 
ness world,  was  the  first  United  Brethren 
counseled  in  regard  to  this  proposition.  Mr. 
Moore  S.  Mason,  second  man  in  business 
standing  and  management  at  Union  Village, 
was  the  first  Shaker  to  whom  the  project 
was  mentioned.  This  occurred  in  the  late 
winter  of  1909-10.  Both  men  gave  hearty 
approval  to  the  plan,  and  the  outcome,  to- 
gether with  whatever  the  future  may  bring, 
was  the  result  of  careful  deliberation  from 
that  date.  The  successful  issue  of  the  nego- 
tiations, humanly  speaking,  would  have  been 
impossible    without    the    invaluable    work    of 


124  Shakerism 

Doctor  Funk.  The  agreement  made  on  October 
14,  1912,  and  signed  in  qaudruple  form  on  the 
following  day,  called  for  the  transfer  of  this 
splendid  property  to  the  United  Brethren 
Church  on  March  1,  1913.  The  purchase 
price  was  agreed  upon  as  $325,000.  Of  this 
amount  $50,000  was  promised  at  the  time  of 
transfer,  $100,000  on  March  1,  1918,  and  the 
remainder,  $175,000,  on  March  1,  1923.  The 
rate  of  interest  on  deferred  payments  was  set 
at  four  per  cent.,  besides  what  tax  should  be 
assessed  to  the  notes.  Should  the  tax  remain 
the  same  as  when  the  agreement  was  drawn 
up,  it  will  stand  at  four  and  seventy- four  hun- 
dredths per  cent. 

The  Shakers  regarded  the  land  worth  $400,- 
000,  stripped  of  all  buildings,  valued  conserva- 
tively. They  made  a  voluntary  concession  of 
$50,000,  and  reduced  the  price  another  $25,- 
000,  partly  because  they  desire  to  use  one 
building  for  ten  years  or  less,  and  partly  be- 
cause of  the  philanthropic  object  for  which 
the  land  was  purchased.  They  much  pre- 
ferred that  the  estate  be  devoted  to  some  form 


Shakerism  125 

of  Christian  service  or  philanthropy  similar  to 
that  which  had  been  carried  forward  thereon 
for  more  than  a  century.  This  was  the  spirit 
of  Elder  Joseph  Holden,  East  Pittsfield, 
Massachusetts,  their  chief  minister,  and  of 
Arthur  Bruce,  East  Canterbury,  New  Hamp- 
shire, their  leading  eastern  trustee,  both  of 
whom  participated  in  the  business  conferences 
looking  toward  the  sale  of  the  estate.  In  this 
spirit  they  represented  the  entire  membership 
east  and  west.  Needless  to  add,  Mr.  Fen- 
nessey,  Mr.  Alason,  and  others  of  Union  Vil- 
lage w^ere  whole-hearted  in  their  sympathy 
with  a  transfer  for  the  proposed  philanthropy. 
Judges  of  real  estate  say  that  the  ground 
alone  is  worth  $500,000.  The  buildings  could 
not  be  replaced  for  $250,000.  These  were 
worth  almost  nothing  to  Shakers,  because  they 
had  no  use  for  them,  and  hence  were  not  in- 
cluded in  their  valuation  of  the  land.  These 
buildings  are  exactly  what  the  United  Brethren 
Church  needs  for  the  orphanage  and  various 
homes,  and  with  a  renovation  will  be  ready 
for  immediate  service.     It  is  right,  therefore, 


126  Shaker  ism 

that  their  value  be  added  to  the  worth  of  the 
land  in  computing  the  acquired  assets  of  the 
Church  into  whose  possession  the  farm  comes. 
What  about  the  future?  It  is  proposed  to 
establish  an  orphanage,  where  unfortunate 
boys  and  girls  may  be  given  Christian  train- 
ing, a  liberal  education  running  through  the 
high-school  course,  and  a  knowledge  of  useful 
arts  and  trades  in  the  most  healthful  place  in 
God's  great  out-of-doors.  A  home  for  the 
children  of  foreign  missionaries  who  cannot 
be  taken  to  distant  lands  with  their  parents 
also  is  planned.  Besides  these  two,  it  is  pro- 
posed to  establish  an  old  people's  home,  a 
home  for  deaconesses,  a  rest  home,  and  a 
home  for  dependent  preachers  and  their  wives. 
Orphan  children  should  not  be  left  to  what 
little  tender  mercy  the  world  will  show  them. 
Faithful  members  of  the  Church  and  loyal 
heralds  of  the  Cross  should  not  be  permitted 
to  want  for  the  necessities  of  life  after  their 
producing  years  have  passed.  Nor  should 
they  be  made  to  feel  that  they  are  the  objects 
of  charity.     Every  United  Brethren  preacher 


Shakerism  127 

who  finds  a  home  here  should  regard  it  as 
part  pay  for  the  service  he  has  rendered  to 
the  Church  and  to  the  kingdom. 

It  is  not  the  part  of  wisdom  to  write  his- 
tor)^  ahead  of  time.  However,  the  preceding 
statement  of  purposes  is  due  the  reader.  May 
it  help  him  to  feel  an  obligation  to  acquire  a 
personal  interest  in  this  great  undertaking. 
With  that  hope  in  the  writer's  heart,  an  extra 
leaf  closes  every  chapter,  and  this  volume  will 
not  have  accomplished  its  designed  and  de- 
sired purpose  until  these  leaves  are  clipped 
according  to  instructions  printed  thereon. 

This  book  was  begun  at  an  hour  when  the 
kings  and  queens  of  the  American  ballot-box 
were  depositing  their  first  votes  for  President 
and  other  elective  officers.  It  was  concluded 
amid  the  blare  of  trumpets  and  the  mingled 
cries  of  approval  and  enthusiasm  as  the  ardent 
supporters  of  the  several  candidates  read 
favorable  returns  that  were  flashed  upon  the 
numerous  screens  in  the  streets  of  the  city. 
Every  voter  feels  that  he  did  his  best  for  his 
country's  welfare.     Let  every  reader  of  this 


128  Shakerism 

book  likewise  do  his  best  to  save  for  Chris- 
tian citizenship,  and  for  manhood's  noble 
career,  and  for  womanhood's  queenly  sphere, 
that  boy  or  that  girl  who  has  been  deprived 
of  one  or  both  natural  protectors.  A  country 
is  unstable  when  its  orphaned  children  are 
given  to  the  streets  and  denied  the  affection 
of  any  human  heart.  The  ideal  state  is  the  one 
which  takes  the  best  care  of  its  dependents, 
whether  they  be  young  or  old.  The  philan- 
thropy in  the  interest  of  which  this  book  is 
written  does  not  believe  in  the  survival  of 
that  only  which  is  fittest  from  a  physical  stand- 
point, but  in  the  proper  care  of  those  physi- 
cally unfit  to  live  so  that  they  may  survive, 
and  so  that  they  may  become  a  blessing  to 
their  day  and  generation. 


o 
z 

o 


o 


c 


o 


o 

O 

c 
o 

Q 

C 

oT 
bo 


> 

o   +-. 
+-•     OS 

-o  -a 

^         be   o 
-(->  r3     O 

(fl  I— H  ^ 

> 

o 


o       ^ 


4) 

6 
o 


^        On 


a> 
bJO 

C 
(« 
J! 

a 

o 

v 

•M 
4> 

c 

t3 


O  ^ 


> 
o 


0\ 


tf 


-    o 

S     73 

a 
o 


C 

O 


ON 


o      . 
Q  .2 

O 

c 
o 

■4-> 

OS 

Q 

ct 
0^ 

C 
bo 


OS 

Q 


> 

O 

'c 


a 

o 

•o 

c 

o    •" 

r-     *> 

j=  a 

u  ^ 
'-)  u 
en  j2 

3     « 

>>« 


fa 


03 

a 

o 

H 


< 

u 

s 


3 
3 

C 

•s 


T3 

^ 

(S 


Shaker  Successors 

WHAT  shall  be  said  further  to  those 
who  shall  stand  in  the  stead  of 
the  honored  Shakers  at  Union 
Village?  Let  those  whom  God  has  blessed 
abundantly  with  the  goods  of  this  world  re- 
member the  various  institutions  of  the  United 
Brethren  Church  in  disposing  of  their  prop- 
erty. Nor  should  they  commit  their  wishes 
to  a  will,  a  document  to  be  fought  over  in  the 
courts  to  the  dissipation  of  hard-earned 
money.  This  Orphanage  and  Home  now  be- 
comes a  claimant  on  the  generosity  of  sym- 
pathetic men  and  women.  The  deferred  pay- 
ments on  the  Shaker  farm  should  be  covered 
by  the  offer  of  large  amounts,  either  as 
straight  gifts  or  in  the  form  of  annuities.  The 
Orphanage  and  Home  can  pay  a  reasonable 
rate  of  interest  on  sums  of  $1,000  or  above, 
on  condition,  of  course,  that  the  money  or 
property  representing  money  be  turned  over 

131 


132  Shakerism 

to  it  for  use,  to  be  retained  by  the  Orphanage 
and  Home  after  the  demise  of  the  donor. 

Members  of  the  United  Brethren  Church 
having  no  natural  heirs  are  in  possession  of 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars,  and  they 
should  make  the  Church  their  beneficiary. 
Many  other  members  possess  more  property 
than  they  ought  to  give  to  their  children,  even 
for  the  children's- own  sake;  and  these  ought 
to  remember  some  v^orthy  interest  of  the 
Church  in  distributing  their  property.  If  our 
well-to-do  or  wealthy  members  upon  whom 
age  is  crowding  rapidly  wish  to  invest  their 
money  at  a  reasonable  interest  rate,  and  thus 
have  the  income  while  they  live,  and  know 
that  the  money  is  going  to  the  place  they  de- 
sire it  to  go,  they  are  hereby  invited  to  cor- 
respond regarding  the  matter.  Any  letter 
concerning  a  gift,  a  note,  a  bequest,  or,  an 
annuity,  should  be  addressed  to  Publishing 
Agent  W.  R.  Funk,  Dayton,  Ohio,  or  Editor 
J.  M.  Phillippi,  Dayton,  Ohio,  or  to  Dr.  John 
R.  King,  Dayton,  Ohio,  in  care  of  either  of 
the  two  persons  first  mentioned.     When  this 


Shakerism  133 

book  was  written  Doctor  King  had  not  estab- 
lished a  permanent  residence;  hence  this  in- 
struction concerning  letters  written  about  gifts 
and  directed  to  him. 

This  new  Orphanage  and  Home  will  be 
organized  and  conducted  in  such  a  way  as 
to  be  in  harmony  with  other  like  institutions 
of  the  Church.  An  Orphanage  and  Home, 
now  caring  for  seventy-six  boys  and  girls,  is 
located  at  Quincy,  Pennsylvania.  A  home 
for  preachers  and  their  wives  is  being  estab- 
lished at  Otterbein,  California. 

The  mission  of  this  volume  is  evident  to  all. 
It  is  prepared  and  sent  forth  with  the  prayer 
that  God  may  bless  the  life  of  the  reader,  and 
help  to  make  the  reader's  life  a  blessing  to 
those  less  fortunately  situated.  It  is  not  con- 
cluded in  the  usual  way,  the  author's  faith 
in  the  future  leading  him  to  close  these  pages 
with  the  words, 

THE  BEGINNING. 


